Trust
by july's lilly
Summary: Jake gives Cassandra a gift and a promise.
1. Chapter 1

The team felt a new sense of purpose after helping Santa deliver the gift of hope. Even Baird didn't mind the decorations so much when they got back to the annex and smiled when Jake, Cassandra and Ezekiel gave her a surprise birthday party. They enjoyed each other's company as they recalled their latest adventure, but it was getting late and some people had places to go on Christmas Day.

The next morning Jenkins was getting the back door ready for travel. Ezekiel left early to spend a few days back in Australia and visit his mates. "Don't use any of what you have learned for your extracurricular activities." Baird warned as he waved goodbye. "Of course not." He winked before leaving.

Jake was ready to go next. He made sure he had all the presents for his nieces and nephews in his bag. "Not so fast." Baird pulled a large book from his luggage. "The Magical Treatise of Solomon? Planning on doing some light reading?" She put it on the desk.

"It's all right Col. Baird." Jenkins said. "It doesn't have any magical properties." Jake gave her smug look and chuckled as he put the book back in his bag.

He said goodbye and went through the door. A few minutes later they heard a loud impatient knock. Cassandra and Baird looked at each other. "Jenkins!" They opened the door to find an angry Jake a bit disheveled his backpack half ripped off.

"You sent me to New York City not Tulsa! I ended up in a rush of people trying to make the A train to Queens!" He stormed in.

"Sorry. I told you there were glitches. I'll have it fixed in an hour or so." Jake paced the floor pulling at the loose spikes in his hair, and then checked his bags to make sure nothing was lost from the crush of the crowd he just escaped.

"What's the matter cowboy? Afraid you're gonna miss another bar brawl?" Baird joked, Cassandra laughed.

He said nothing and walked upstairs to the stacks with his book, found a quiet corner and tried to concentrate as he began reading.

Soft footsteps came up the stairs and sat next to him after awhile.

"I brought you some cocoa." The ginger haired librarian offered him the warm mug.

"Thanks Cassie." He took a long sip and gave her a slight smile before returning to his book.

"So Christmas is a big deal for you huh? I'm not really in a rush to get home, my parents aren't big on celebrating and with what we just witnessed helping Santa give the world back hope, I want to enjoy the magic of the annex for as long as I can."

Jake closed his book and looked at her. "Yeah... It's the one time Dad and I see eye to eye about anything. For that one day we put aside our differences for the sake of the kids. We're a happy family again." He looked away not wanting her to see the tear forming in the corner of his eye. "My mom was the only one who knew about my… gift." He pointed to his head. "When I was a kid she'd take me to every museum and library she could find. Dad never understood. She died twenty years ago, he turned to the bottle, I was the oldest, I gave up on going to college to work the oil fields so my brothers and sister wouldn't lose our home."

"I'm sorry." She put her hand on his shoulder to offer comfort.

"Nothing to be sorry about, Now that I am in this place, I'll learn more here than I ever could in college. And I…" he stopped remembering their last conversation. He had revealed too much already and wasn't ready to trust her just yet. She had to earn that.

Cassandra felt him pull back and frowned. She knew he didn't trust her.

"Jake, I hope you can one day forgive me and give me another chance." Her hand had now made his way to his. She took his calloused hand; he ran his thumb along the delicate, soft skin of hers.

"I want to Cassie, I really do." He kept holding her hand, and looked into her big pleading eyes. He leaned in closer to her; she closed her eyes tilting her head slightly to meet his lips.

"Mr. Stone the door is ready now." Jenkins called out interrupting the moment. Jake sprung up, then helped her to her feet. Cassandra let out a nervous giggle and straightened her skirt.

"Merry Christmas Jake," She waved as he headed down.

"Merry Christmas Cassie." He said in a soft low voice.

He stopped halfway down then ran back up. He took a silver chain from around his neck and gave it to her.

"Take care of this for me." She looked at the charm on it. It was a heart with the word, _Promise_, engraved on it. She looked up to ask him what it meant, but he was gone.

She smiled as she put it around her neck. "Well I promise, I'll be the person you will trust the most, you'll see." She said to herself before going through the door for home, holding the charm as she went through the other side.


	2. Chapter 2

It was approaching noon when Jake finally reached his childhood home. He parked his truck and smiled at the crooked lights in the window no doubt put up by his brothers, Billy and Josh. If I was here it would have looked a whole lot better, but it was a good first effort he thought. He got out and hurried toward the house, the smell of turkey and his sister's famous biscuits coming from inside made his stomach growl with hunger.

"Jake! Wait." He turned to the sound of his name then froze in surprise.

"Cassie… What are you doing here? I thought you were going home to see your folks."

"Like I said, my parents aren't into celebrating and I'd like to see a real family Christmas, even if you have to pretend a little."

Jake rushed over to her and turned her away from the house.

"How am I going to explain you, huh? What if you go into one of your information overload meltdowns?"

"Well just say…"

"Uncle Jake!" Five children ranging from ages three to thirteen opened the door all rushing to him almost knocking him to the ground.

"Wait, hold on a second." he laughed and gave each of his nephews and one niece his trademark bear hug. Billy and his wife Amy were next to greet him followed by Josh, the youngest, then his sister Libby and her husband Wyatt. She was holding a newborn in her arms, shielding her from the chilly air. Jake hadn't seen her yet and took the tiny baby in his strong arms giving her a peck on her forehead.

"Hi little one, I'm so glad to meet you at last."

"Her name is Elizabeth, after mom." Libby said. Jake smiled in approval and whispered her name reverently.

They noticed the petite red head with big, bright eyes and a smile to match, standing next to him. "So who is this lovely creature?" Josh who always fancied himself a ladies man took her hand and kissed it.

"Cassandra Cillian. I'm a friend of Jake. Just friends. She blinked her eyes repeatedly and looked up. Friend. One attached to another by affection or esteem, from the old English _freon_, meaning to love and _freo_ meaning free…" Jake squeezed her tightly to make her stop.

The group stared at her for a second then howled with laughter. "Good one, little lady." Billy patted her on the back and led her inside. She looked back at Jake who did a face palm, as he followed her inside.

The kids wasted no time tearing into the gifts he brought them. He missed the little rug rats especially Emma, his brother Billy's youngest, who reminded him so much of himself when he was age eight, always reading books in a corner somewhere.

"I love my book Uncle Jake." She pressed it to her chest then ran off to find the quietest place in the house.

"Books are for sissies." Her older brother Shane said and laughed. "This is so much cooler." He held up a copy of the video game Destiny and headed straight for the Play Station in the other room with his other cousins in tow.

"Missed you brother, how's your new job in Portland?" Josh asked.

Jake had told his family about a job he was offered as a heavy equipment repair specialist at a refinery with a substantial pay increase so they never questioned the move to Oregon.

"Did you two meet at the refinery?" Billy's wife Amy asked as the others looked at Jake's friend with suspicious looks in their eyes. His usual choice in women were of the buxom, fake tan, big hair, brainless variety and this one although very pretty, was clearly out of his league. She had a different, no strange way about her.

"Uh… umm…" Jake stammered, trying to come up with a plausible story that they would believe.

"No, we met in the library." Cassandra jumped in to explain.

"The library? Now why on God's green earth would Jake be in a library?" Billy asked.

Jake swallowed. "Oh he wasn't there by himself." She looked over at a nervous Jake and continued. "He came with my brother Mark who works with him… At the refinery. I work in maintenance at the library and left my lunch in my brother's truck one day and they brought it to me. The rest is history as they say."

"So you two are dating?" Libby asked. She hoped the answer was yes. She always fretted like their mother over him, especially when at 18 he had to take the responsibility for not only caring for her and her brothers, but also shielding them from their father's drunken rages. He never complained, but he also didn't have a life and when he announced he was taking a job in Oregon, she knew he was ready to finally move on with his life.

"Oh no, we just like to hang out… there's a country bar near the refinery and I like to go there with my brother sometimes." Cassandra finished her tale.

"So why are you here instead of with your family?" Libby asked trying to get more out of her.

"Well uh, Mark had to work, my parents are in Michigan and my flight got detoured to Oklahoma due to heavy snow there, I called Jake to ask him about hotels in the area and he invited me here. I'm flying out tomorrow afternoon to join them and Mark will be there in time to celebrate New Year's."

Cassandra's mind was spinning from the whopper of a lie she just told and felt it throbbing. She closed her eyes and began to mumble.

"She ok?" Josh asked.

"She's fine." Jake held her hand whispering to her. "Hold it together Cassie."

"All right then, welcome Cassandra, dinner will be ready in a couple of hours, so make yourself at home." Libby stated as she and Amy headed back to the kitchen to finish the preparations.

"Are you going to be ok?" Jake asked as he got up.

"Sure, where are you going?"

"Gotta see the old man," he said in a low voice as he shuffled towards the den.


	3. Chapter 3

The den was a throw back to the worst of 70's décor, oak paneling on the walls and the hunter green carpet made the room dark even in the daytime, the RCA console T.V. that still worked to everyone's amazement was tuned to a football game, a yellow and brown plaid sofa in front of it.

The worn brown leather easy chair that flanked the sofa was where Jed Stone sat in almost the same position Jake left him three months ago, and the smell of alcohol filled the room. One hand nursed a glass of whiskey the other held the bottle. An empty one lay at his feet. The light from the door opening made him squint as he watched a figure come through. He scoffed when he recognized him.

"Jakey, you're back. Want a drink?" He offered. Jake shook his head no. "What are you now? Some kind of city slicker too good to drink with your old man?"

Jake went over to the bar and got the cleanest glass he could find. He sat down while his father poured, took a small sip and put it on the dark walnut coffee table.

"Now that's more like it. Never trust a man who won't drink with you, I say." He gave him long look. "So how are you son?"

"Ok, Dad, ok. Hey have you been out of this room yet? It's Christmas Day."

"It is? Well Merry Christmas then. I'll be out in awhile." He tossed back the shot with one quick gulp, grimacing as it burned down his throat then refilled his glass.

"Come on Dad, your grandkids want to see you, and dinner is almost ready. You need to get cleaned up." He took him by his arm to help him up. Jed jerked it back.

"I said I'd be out soon boy. I am still the head of this home you hear, just because your mother thought you had some smarts doesn't give you the right to tell me what to do." He snapped then turned his attention to the TV and took another sip.

Jake left him to his drink and turned to leave, anger in his face as he slammed the door. Everyone was startled by the noise, little Elizabeth who was sound asleep in the living room cried at the sound.

"Sorry, sorry." He ran over to her, picked her up and cuddled her until she went back to sleep then put her back in the crib before her parents could yell at him.

"Is everything all right Jake?" Cassandra asked when he sat down beside her.

"Yeah, I shouldn't have expected much from him."

"So will I get to meet him?"

"He'll come out at some point today, it just would be nice if he spent more than a few minutes with his family. Speaking of which, how is my family treating you?" He asked changing the subject.

"Well, I've been looking at the Stone family albums and I must say you have had quite a few interesting hairstyles."

"Ah man, Josh you showed her that one, I'm gonna kill you!" He threw a pillow at him and laughed forgetting about his father for the moment and they reminisced about some of Jake's less than flattering haircuts. "A red Mohawk, really?" Cassandra asked.

"Go Sooners!" He replied giving his brothers a high five.

"And Emma showed me her book. Nice choice by the way the _Tales of King Arthur."_ She elbowed him in the ribs.

"I thought so." He chuckled at their private joke.

Dinner was ready and the family settled down to eat. Jake said the blessing for the meal and soon they were jostling for the plates as they were being passed around. Everyone was in a happy mood, talking and laughing and Cassandra leaned back to watch them, enjoying her first Christmas with more than three people at a table. She could feel the gift that Santa delivered just one night ago descend on this family. Even with their troubles, they had hope that good things would come.

Libby, Amy and Billy cleared the table, and started to bring out the desserts when the door to the den opened. Jed had managed to clean up, even changed his shirt. He walked slowly to the table and looked around.

"Am I too late for dinner?" he asked.

"No Daddy you are just in time." Libby gave him a hug and Jake got up to give him his seat at the head.

"Merry Christmas kids."

"Merry Christmas Grandpa." They answered respectfully.

He looked at Cassandra and tilted his head. "I don't remember having another daughter. You must be one of Josh's girlfriends. A pretty one too." He winked at his son. Cassandra blushed as she introduced herself.

"No dad she's not with me, Cassandra is Jake's friend." Josh said and gave him the cliff notes version of why she was spending Christmas with them.

"Hmm, doesn't seem your type Jake. Too good for you." Jake bit his lip, Libby brought him his plate and their father busied himself with eating saying no more.

After dinner, everyone found a spot in the living room to sit and digest the big meal they just enjoyed rubbing their bellies in various stages of satisfaction or indigestion.

Jake fell asleep on the couch with the other men as the football game on the T.V. watched them, Libby and Amy finished cleaning up and Jed slunk back into the den, his job finished for the day while the children quietly played with their toys and games.

Cassandra decided to go outside hoping to walk off the extreme meal she ate. In her whole life she never thought she could eat so much at one time. Emma followed her to the door.

"Can I come with you?" the little girl asked.

"Sure, you can show me around if it's ok with your mom." Amy nodded and the two took off down the street. Christmas lights were coming on as the day faded into evening and the two giggled as they took turns pointing at a house like they had magic wands pretending the lights came on as if caused by their actions.

"Uncle Jake likes you." Emma said in a matter of fact voice.

"Of course he does, we're friends." Cassandra replied.

"Not like just friends, his eyes crinkle up when he looks at you the same way my daddy's eyes do when he looks at my mom."

"Now Emma, I don't think…"

"There's another reason why I know he likes you." The little girl interrupted her.

"Oh…" Cassandra squeaked, twirling her hair in slight embarrassment.

"Yeah. You're wearing his necklace."


	4. Chapter 4

**_Thank you everyone for the kind reviews and encouragement, I only meant this to be a one-shot but now am enjoying making it a fuller story. I hope you like the additions and keep reading._**

Cassandra's eyes opened wide with panic. She set out to prove to Jake he could trust her and now whatever was left of her reputation in his eyes was about to be ruined by a child. She quickly tucked the chain back in her dress and began to shake trying to focus, but her mind went it's own way.

"Necklace…silver…Ag on the periodic table…atomic number 47, electronic configuration {Kr}4d105s1, boiling point…hot dogs boiling, mustard spicy brown not yellow…"

Emma squeezed her arm. "It's all right Cassandra, I won't tell, I promise."

She blinked back to reality and looked at the curly haired girl with sincere brown eyes and smiled. "Ok. Jake wouldn't be too happy if everyone found out, but we are just friends you know."

"For now anyway." Emma conceded. "You're not like any of the other girls he's brought around. It's kind of funny the way you can recite stuff like that off the top of your head. Are you some kind of genius?"

"I guess you can say that. I have a photographic memory, sometimes when I get nervous it tends to come out in one big lump of information." She didn't feel the need to tell her about the tumor in her brain that was partly to blame for her "genius."

"Well I think it's pretty neat." The little girl furrowed her eyebrows looked away for a second then smiled. "I like you very much Cassie, and I want to tell you my secret." Emma was the second person to ever call her Cassie. She decided she liked the nickname.

"I'm kind of a genius myself. Well, gifted. My teachers called my parents into a meeting one day, I thought I was in trouble cause I get bored in school and fall asleep all the time, but they told my parents that I was too smart for my class and recommended a special school. My parents can't afford it so I just bring a library book or two with me to read when I am finished my work. Mom doesn't know where I get it from, nobody's really that smart in our family she says."

"How do your brothers and friends and the rest of your family feel about you being so gifted?"

"Shane and Travis tease me all the time, and my friends just think I am weird, but it's ok, Mom and Dad think it's great as long as I do other things too and they are saving to put me in that school for next year. Aunt Libby, Uncle Wyatt and Uncle Josh don't care much and Grandpa…"

"What about him?"

"Well he thinks people with who are smart are snooty and useless. All book smarts and no real life smarts drives people crazy he says. We don't talk about it much." Cassandra felt sad that she had to keep it a secret like Jake. Surely in today's time, intelligence was something to be celebrated not shunned.

"What does your Uncle Jake say about it?" Cassandra asked.

"He told me he read a lot when he was my age but he doesn't get to read much anymore. Sometimes I think he got teased too but he says it's because his job takes too much of his time. He gave me his collection of books, I finished them pretty fast so he buys me more and he likes when I read to him now."

They returned home as the men were getting their coats on and heading out the door. "Cassandra, come join us," Josh took her hand and led her to his truck.

"Where are you all going?"

"To Dukes, have some beers, ride the bull, maybe you and I can have a little dance." He held her close and rocked her back and forth.

"Hold on there, brother, she is with me." Jake intervened, taking her hand and standing between them as if to protect her from the handsome man's advances. At 32, Josh was five years younger and a bit taller, with green eyes and the same crazy hair as Jake. In fact all the Stone men were very handsome she noticed, even Jed with his grizzled features was a striking man. He reminded her of an old cowboy movie star with his tanned skin, a full head of silver hair and a slight scar that ran across his left eyebrow.

Amy came outside with her coat half on. "Wait for me. Libby said she would watch the kids, most of them are asleep anyways and I haven't had a night out at Duke's in a long time."

She pulled Cassandra away from the Neanderthals surrounding her. Come with me, don't pay attention to them, we'll have a great time and maybe you will meet a real gentleman."

"Goodnight Cassie." Emma waved as she went in the house. "Hope I see you in the morning."

"Goodnight sweetie."

"Well looks like you made a friend." Jake observed. "She doesn't usually warm up to people she just met, you must have made quite an impression."

"Yup I guess so…" She dashed to Jake's truck. They took Amy with them while Josh took Billy and Libby's husband Wyatt in his.

The parking lot at Duke's was crowded and they could hear loud off key Christmas carols as they got closer. "Sounds like fun." Cassandra clapped as some of the revelers were leaving wishing everyone they passed a Merry Christmas.

Before they could get inside a burly man at the door stopped them.

"Jake Stone, you have some nerve showing your face after the mess you left the last time you were here. You stuck Duke with the repair bills after you disappeared with that tall drink of water." He said referring to the incident when Col. Eve Baird came to help him escape from Lamia and her assassins.

"Come on Lester, I'm good for it, I always pay my debts." Jake pleaded.

Lester crossed his arms and blocked the entrance a stern look on his face. He dug in holding his ground then let out a high-pitched giggle. He grabbed Jake and gave him a bear hug, lifting him off the ground. "I'm just joking with you man, come on in, we've missed you around here. Merry Christmas."

Billy got them a table and they were soon joining in the festivities while Jake went to the bar to get some drinks. Everyone who met Cassandra seemed taken with her remarking about her not being the usual girl Jake was used to being around.

"Well what kind of girl is Jake used to?" she asked frustrated that she somehow didn't measure up to some kind of cowboy code.

"That one." Josh pointed to a stunningly beautiful blonde with a perfect figure getting ready to ride the mechanical bull.

"Susan Harper."


	5. Chapter 5

Cassandra smirked as she turned her head to look at her. There was no denying that Susan Harper, a former beauty queen turned model was drop dead gorgeous and she knew how to turn heads. Everything about her oozed sexiness and she smiled enjoying the attention of the men in the room as she took her time to mount the bull. Her black sequined blouse draped gracefully off one shoulder, tight blue jeans were tucked into black cowboy boots with embroidered red roses. Her blonde hair fell in perfect waves around her heart shaped face and accentuated her almond shaped violet eyes.

What man wouldn't want to have her on his arm Cassandra thought as she turned back to the table her head in her hands. "Darling she can't hold a candle to you," a whisper in her ear said and made her smile.

"Aww, thank you Jak…Josh…?" She twirled a section of her hair, tucking it behind her ear then pulling it back out her smile lingering awkwardly.

"How about that dance?" He pulled her to her feet and led her to the dance floor.

"Maybe we should wait for Jake, He is getting us drinks after all."

"Yeah I wouldn't wait, somebody's already got his attention."

In a corner were Jake and Susan looking quite cozy. Could he stop smiling so much she fumed. To think, she almost believed what Emma had told her about Jake's feelings toward her. The chain was nothing more than a test she realized, not some declaration of any amorous desires. Ugh, Cassandra you really can be stupid.

"Sure ok, I'm game." She hopped up and took his hand.

Josh was a great dancer and quite funny, she was surprised at how much she enjoyed his company. They headed back to their table after the third song; Amy and Billy were already there. Wyatt had gotten a ride home, baby Elizabeth was cranky and he missed Libby not being there with him.

Cassandra took a swig of her beer. "So what's their story? She asked pointing with her bottle and looking quite disgusted at the two.

"Well they were quite the pair in high school. Football star and head cheerleader." Billy began." Cassandra rolled her eyes with boredom.

"It's not the most original story I know but Jake was over the moon in love with her, we really thought they would get married and live happily ever after." Amy added.

"So what happened?" She asked with mild curiosity.

"Don't know really, he's never talked about it. All we know is that once our mother died, whatever plans he had to be with her changed, she left him, got a job modeling and married a big time movie producer." Josh finished the story as Jake came over to the table with Susan, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

"Susan you remember everybody don't ya?" Jake got a stool for her.

"Of course. Hi y'all. Where's Libby, I can't imagine her missing this." Even her voice was sexy. Great! Cassandra shrugged. I can't win.

"She's home with her kids, she just had her third one last month." Billy answered.

"How wonderful for her." She answered unimpressed then noticed the girl sitting next to Josh. "I don't know you." She stared at Cassandra.

"Susan, this is Cassie, she's a friend." Jake said.

"Oh, a friend of Josh's I suppose."

"Yeah kind of she's with me, her plane got detoured to Tulsa and I gave her a ride… I work with her brother." He tried to get their cover story straight.

"Hi!" Cassandra chirped trying not to sound jealous.

Susan smirked and turned her attentions to the others. "So how is everyone?"

They talked for a few minutes, Susan dominated the conversation with her stories of all the places she traveled to and the famous people she knew and worked with. She got a text message on her phone and gathered her things.

"Well I have to go, I have a flight to London tomorrow afternoon. It was nice seeing everyone again."

"I'll walk you out." Jake led her by the hand through the crowd.

"Hey Jake, your hat." The bartender tossed the black cowboy hat he lost in his last bar fight. Jake caught it and promptly put in on Susan's head straightening till it fit. She kissed him on his cheek and then on the lips prompting the crowd to ooh and ahh.

"Well what do you know, you think those two might be getting back together?" Amy asked smiling at the happy couple.

"Well from what the papers say her divorce will be final soon so who knows?" Josh seemed happy at the prospect. He thought there was something going on between Jake and Cassandra but now that his brother and Susan were picking up where they left off, he was free to pursue the pretty redhead and was already planning a trip to Portland.

Jake walked Susan to her car, a red Mercedes SL 400 roadster. "Nice ride." He ran his hand over the side and helped her in.

"Hop in, I'll let you drive me home cowboy. And if you are a good boy I'll order us breakfast in the morning."

"I'd love to Susan really, but I gotta drive Cassie to Tulsa International in the morning, she's got an early flight." He lied.

"Well maybe you can come by after, My flight doesn't leave till 2 p.m."

"You bet." He smiled and she gave him another kiss.

"See you tomorrow cowboy." She sped off into the night.

"You are the Man Jake Stone!" Lester high-fived him as he walked back into the bar.

"Yes, I am." Jake mumbled under his breath, his smile turned to a frown as he wiped his mouth trying to get the feeling of her lips off of his.


	6. Chapter 6

By the time Jake got back to the table, he was all smiles again. On the way, several men high-fived him and gave him congratulatory pats on the back.

"Well nice to know the master still has it." Josh picked up his bottle and saluted him. "Oh wait, you've slipped a notch, the master would have not come back at all."

"I have to take Cassie to the airport in the morning. I'm meeting her afterwards." Jake boasted flexing his arms above his head.

"Don't let me get in the way of your fun, cowboy." Cassandra said as she got up, straightened her dress and excused herself to the ladies room.

"Leave it to Jake to get the hottest woman in the place." Billy beamed in admiration then grimaced in pain as he felt a sudden pain from an elbow being thrust into his gut. "I mean besides you of course sweetheart." Amy glared at him. "Uh, let's dance." He took her by the hand and rushed her to the dance floor.

"Cassandra, she is a strange one, but I like that about her." Josh smiled watching her walk away. Jake knew that smile, he was in full pursuit mode not one to take no for an answer, and he rarely got those.

"Strange?" Jake felt nervous, hoping she didn't go into one of her meltdowns again. She did.

"She was staring at old Gus while we were dancing," he pointed to the large elk head hanging on the wall. "And started spouting all these fancy words then ended by talking about bacon and eggs."

"You don't say…" Jake widened his eyes, blew air out of his mouth and gave him a bewildered look.

"She said it was a memory game she likes to play, a little odd but it's cute." Josh leaned in to his brother. "I'd like to come visit you and Cassandra sometime soon after the holidays. What do you think? You can show me around Portland, and that way I can get to know her better."

Before Jake could answer, Cassandra came back to the table. Her eyes were reddened, her face pale, and she was rubbing her forehead as if a migraine was coming on.

"You all right?" Jake asked.

"No, I'm not feeling well, maybe I should go home."

Jake and Josh both got up to take her. Jake pushed his brother back in his seat. "I'll take her, she came with me." He growled, leading her out the door. She settled in the passenger seat, the cool air was a welcome relief from the stuffiness of the crowded bar.

"I feel much better, I think my senses were in a bit of overload."

"Well your presence sure has complicated things Cassie." He shook his head in frustration as he got in and started the truck.

"Oh I'm sorry if I ruined your night of romance and pleasure." She rolled her eyes at him, got out and walked away.

"What are you talking about?" He caught up to her and grabbed her arm. "Please don't make a scene here." They got back in the truck and started out the parking lot.

"You mean who. I'm talking about Susan Harper. I saw the way you looked at her. You know you could have left with her, you don't have to worry about me."

"I don't have to worry about you huh." He furrowed his brow then pulled the truck over and turned off the lights. "You have been doing your crazy vision, speech thing in front of my family since you got here and to make matters worse my brother Josh likes you. So much so that he wants to come and visit us in Portland to get to know you better!"

Cassandra shrunk at his statement. "Oh." She whispered.

"Uh Huh…Now what are we supposed to say when he comes and finds out I don't work at a refinery? When he finds out what we really do?"

Cassandra was quiet for a minute, her eyes then flashed with anger. "For a man with an IQ of 190 you sure can be stupid sometimes."

"Come again?" He asked incredulously. She was the one who inserted herself uninvited into his holiday plans and she was upset?

"Why don't you have the courage to tell them who you really are, a genius, a man who appreciates art and culture and uses them for good?"

"You know why Cassandra." He addressed her in a formal tone.

"I'm not talking about the library, I'm talking about you, who you are. Did you know that your niece Emma is gifted like you? Did you know that she gets teased every day by her brothers, her friends think she is weird, her uncles and aunt don't appreciate her intelligence and her grandfather won't even talk about it, and yet that little girl has the courage to be true to herself she doesn't ever try to hide it."

Jake hung his head in silence.

"And the one person who understands her, the one person who can relate to her, the one person who can tell her to hell what everybody thinks, you are great the way you are is afraid to tell his family that he is smart. He prefers to act like some kind of macho cowboy, drinking and hitting on every woman he can!"

"You don't know anything about me Cassandra." Jake started the truck and they drove in silence back to his home.

Libby was at the door waiting for them. "Josh called." She helped Cassandra inside, had her sit on the sofa while she got a hot cup of chamomile tea for her. On the floor by the fireplace lay four children in their sleeping bags, Emma, her brothers and Libby's five-year old son A.J. all fast asleep. Three-year old Charlie tried but decided he wanted to be with his mommy and baby sister upstairs.

Jake got his overnight bag out of the truck and headed upstairs.

"Hey big brother, I hope you don't mind if Cassandra sleeps in your room tonight."

He stopped. "It's ok," Cassandra got up. "I'm all right down here."

Jake shrugged and continued walking up. "No, it's fine, I'm just going to take a shower, and then I'll come back down."

Libby showed Cassandra to Jake's old room. Shelves along one wall held all his sports trophies and awards. She looked at the framed pictures of his football team. There was a small snapshot of him and Susan looking very much like a storybook couple so young and in love tucked behind one of the frames. She ran her finger in a circle around his face.

A navy blue comforter covered the twin bed in one corner, a small desk and a chest of drawers on the other side. Libby had put a towel, some toiletries and a clean pair of pajamas on the bed. She waited until she heard Jake go downstairs before she dared to open the door.

Jake got a pillow from the hall closet and punched at it to make it more comfortable. He tried to sleep but her words kept ringing in his ears. He got up and went to the kitchen to get a drink and noticed her sitting at the table with a small flashlight aimed at her book.

"Emma?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Hi Uncle Jake."

He turned on the light, got a bottle of water from the refrigerator and sat down next to her. "It's late sweetheart you should be asleep."

"I know but I can't put this book down. It's my favorite so far, Arthur and Lancelot are so brave, Guinevere is so beautiful, and Merlin is the best wizard, it's so magical, I wish we lived in a world like that."

"Sounds like a lot of fun huh monkey?" If only she knew he thought. He closed the book. "It's almost one in the morning, you need some shut eye."

Jake tucked her in her sleeping bag and zipped her up nice and cozy.

"Uncle Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Is Cassie ok? She looked sad, didn't she have fun at Dukes?"

"Nah it's not that, she had a great time, she just wasn't feeling too well that's all. She gets these bad headaches sometimes."

He kissed her on the forehead got up and took his place on the sofa. He closed his eyes, trying to relax. A few minutes later he felt a tug at his shirt.

"Uncle Jake, I still can't sleep."

He sighed. "Ok, come here." He sat up, took her in his arms, and sat her on his lap. She stretched out her legs and shifted to find a comfortable position then closed her eyes.

"Emma?"

"Yes, Uncle Jake."

"You know I love you. Very much. Don't ever be afraid of being smart, you just be the best person you can be and to hel…heck with what other people say." He blurted out.

"I'm not afraid, I like being smart, it's fun to learn new things." She yawned and hugged him tighter. "I love you too."

Jake smiled and leaned his head back. She sure was a tough cookie. She'd be ok. He closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep peaceful sleep.

His cell phone startled him awake around 6:30 in the morning. He fumbled for it and answered before anyone else woke up.

"Jenkins?"

"Ah…Mr. Stone. I assume Miss Cillian is with you since she did ask me to point her in your direction yesterday. I tried her phone but she didn't answer."

"Jenkins, what is it, you're gonna wake everyone else up." He whispered.

"Tell Miss Cillian the door will be ready in two hours. Tulsa will be the closest I can get it to this time. See you soon. Goodbye."

Jake got up, now wide awake. He picked up Emma and laid her on the sofa and covered her with a blanket. He got dressed, ran up the stairs and knocked on his bedroom door not waiting for a response to open it.

"Cassandra…" He walked in and looked down at her sound asleep wrapped in his comforter holding a pillow tightly to her chest. A stray hair fell across her face, he brushed it away and smiled. Redheads do indeed have fiery tempers he thought remembering last night's discussion, admiring her gumption. She hadn't been invited but he had to admit, he was glad she came. She definitely made things interesting.

He so wanted to tell her everything about his life to explain why he had to hide his true self but her betrayal stuck in his mind. She endangered them all, peers and maybe even friends in time and who was to say she wouldn't do it again given the opportunity.

Brain tumors were tricky things, depending what area of the brain they invaded they could change a person's personality, their emotions, their sense of morality even. He felt bad about that last thought, after all she was right. She didn't choose that path. Maybe I should ease up on her a little he reasoned, but right now there were more pressing matters.

"Cassie." He said in a louder voice. She yawned and stretched, raising her arms above her head.

"What time is it?"

"Time to go. Jenkins called, the door is going to be ready in two hours and the drive to Tulsa takes a little over an hour, so come on get ready." He replied then hurried downstairs.

Libby was up early to feed the baby and saw Jake packing his things.

"Are you leaving too?" She asked.

"No, I'll be here a couple more days, Cassie got a call from the airport, her flight is now scheduled to go in two hours so I gotta get her to Tulsa pretty quick."

"I heard about Susan." Libby was two years younger than Jake and Susan but the freshmen member of the cheerleading squad and the junior captain became best friends in high school. Libby was the one who introduced them so she felt responsible when they broke up. Jake took the break up badly, he had just lost his mother and now the love of his life.

"Yeah, she's just as beautiful as ever." He poured himself a cup of coffee while he waited for Cassandra and stared off in the distance.

"She's single again you know."

"I know."

"Well? What do you think? From what I heard about last night, you two looked pretty cozy together."

Jake pulled at his hair, his mouth twisted to one side. "Who knows? She has her fabulous life and I'm just a regular country boy working the oil fields."

She gave her brother a big hug. "Don't sell yourself short, you're pretty spectacular yourself. You were the one who kept this family going and I for one can never thank you enough. Even Dad can't take that away from you."

"Thanks darlin'." He kissed her on the top of her head.

Cassandra came down ready to go. He watched as she walked down, surprised by a sudden quickening in his heart, a nervous energy came over him, and the room felt unusually hot. He took her things to the truck while she said goodbye to Libby and Emma who woke up as he was going out the door.

Amy joined them in the kitchen a few minutes later with little Charlie on her hip. "Your son wants a bottle too." She handed him to Libby.

"Wait Cassie, I have a present for you." Emma ran to her sleeping bag and pulled it out. "Open it." Cassandra smiled at the crudely wrapped gift tied with thick red yarn.

It was a collector's edition of _The Secret Garden_ with an intricate image of the open gate leading to the garden embossed in the green leather cover. A fancy gold ribbon bookmark was attached with a little heart at the end, an obvious a gift from Jake. "One of my favorites. Thank you Emma, but I couldn't take such a special book."

"Please, I want you to have it. That way you can remember me."

"Oh Emma, I could never forget you." She hugged the little girl.

She hugged Libby and thanked her for her kindness, then hugged Amy.

"You have a very special little girl there, you should be proud of her."

"I am, very much." she replied.

Cassandra got in the truck and wiped a small tear from her eye. In spite of her incident with Jake she was glad she came almost forgetting why she did in the first place.


	8. Chapter 8

Jake was quiet as they drove away. Cassandra could see he by the way his brows were furrowed that he wanted to say something. Instead he turned the radio on to a country music station to break the silence, humming along to Brad Paisley's _Whiskey Lullaby_.

She took out the book Emma gave her and read the dedication on the inside front cover. _To my lovely niece on her 7__th__ birthday. Love you monkey. Uncle Jake._

Underneath that Emma had written her own to Cassandra.

_To Cassie, Some secrets can lead to beautiful things. _She closed it and ran her fingers along the embossed cover, glanced over at Jake who still had that look on his face. Enough of this she thought and cleared her throat to speak.

"I'm sorry about last night, I was out of line."

He muttered under his breath as he pulled into a McDonald's.

"You hungry?"

He ordered two breakfast sandwiches and coffees then drove into a parking spot so they could take a few minutes to eat. He pointed at the book on her lap and smiled.

"Yeah, you really made an impression all right."

"I hope you don't mind, I didn't have the heart to refuse it."

"No of course not, books are meant to be shared." He finished his sandwich, balled up the wrapper and threw it in the bag.

"Jake…"

"Why did you come here Cassie?" He stared at her with an intensity that made her giddy, excited and nervous at the same time.

"I ah…I started to go to my parents, but when I got there they didn't even have a tree up and I didn't want that Christmas feeling to go, so I asked Jenkins to send me to your house." She fumbled with the chain Jake gave her and continued.

"You gave me this and left without explanation, and my mind needs to know why. It keeps running scenarios over and over and until it gets an answer, it's just going to fester. That's a very uncomfortable feeling I want you to know."

Jake chuckled. "That's called curiosity Cassie." He started the car and they headed out again.

"You're right about Emma, she is strong, and I have no doubt she'll be ok, but I think she can use a partner in crime."

"Oh that is so wonderful Jake." Cassandra smiled and squeezed his hand. He held on to it and glanced over at her. The jewel tone of her purple coat complimented her skin and hair. How did he not notice how pretty she was until now?

"My mom was always proud of me. My dad, well that's another story. I wasn't always a disappointment in his eyes. He and I got along just fine, we were hunting and fishing buddies until my mom told him about my IQ test results one day. I wasn't doing well in school, it was too boring and I would get in trouble a lot."

"How old were you?" Cassandra asked.

"I was nine." Cassie remembered Emma's similar predicament with school.

"They had a psychologist test me to see if I was slow but they were stunned when they found I had an IQ of 190, higher than Einstein himself or anybody else for that matter."

"My mom had dreams of becoming a school teacher, getting out of this town until she met my dad. They started dating in their senior year of high school. He swept her off her feet and they got married right after graduation.

"When she found how about my "gift" she thought my dad would be happy, to her it meant an opportunity to leave and make a better life for us. To him it meant trouble. "It's a curse, it's not natural" he said. He warned mom to keep it to herself and he never talked about it. He started to avoid me. Even my teachers at school looked at me differently, they treated me differently, nobody knew what to do with me. My mom transferred me out of that school and said it would be our secret."

"Oh Jake how terrible!" Cassandra's heart ached hearing the pain in his voice.

"I mean can you imagine, me at nine seeing my daddy get ready for a fishing trip and not letting me come? He'd take Libby and Billy even Josh sometimes but he would tell me to stay home. It was as if he was afraid of me or something."

"But why?" She asked.

"I don't know." He lied. She didn't need to know everything.

"Anyway whenever Dad and my siblings were away, my mom made sure I was exposed to the best in art, literature, music, culture and I loved it. I was soaking it in like a sponge and it eased the hurt of his rejection."

He turned up the volume to listen to another song on the radio. "I love this one, an oldie but a goodie," as Johnny Cash belted out Folsom Prison Blues. "_But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die…"_ He turned his face to Cassandra gesturing for her to join him and kept on. _"When I hear that whistle blowing , I hang my head and cry…"_

Cassandra laughed at his attempt to go lower than Johnny at the last note. He started laughing as well; she noticed the way his eyes crinkled up when he looked at her and blushed.

"We did become friends again for a while." He continued his story.

"Really?"

"When I got to high school I discovered football and that I was good at it. I became the starting quarterback in my junior year and scouts were coming from all over to recruit me. Dad was never more proud."

"Of course male bonding over a violent, mindless sport, how nice."

"It's not mindless Cassandra… It takes skill, precision, planning, accuracy…"

"Ok, ok, not mindless, but violent." She conceded.

"Yeah, that was the best part." He said chuckling as he remembered some of his best plays.

"When I met Susan, well he just about fell over himself. She was the prettiest girl in the school, captain of the cheerleading squad and she was dating me."

"Oh yes let's not forget her…" she scoffed. "And you fell madly in love like your mom did with your dad."

"Well did you get a good look at her? Of course I did. And not cause she was just a pretty face."

"Oh I'm sure…"

"She was a genuinely nice girl, I could talk to her about everything art, music, literature. I took her to a museum for our first date, and she thought it was cool. Made her feel like a high society lady. I just didn't tell her how high my IQ was, didn't want to scare her off."

"So you found your soul mate in her?" she asked.

"I thought so. Mom got sick a few months before graduation. Lung cancer, stage 4. And she never smoked a day in her life. The day of my graduation she was in the hospital, dad and Libby were with her. My brothers, and my aunt Lucille and her kids came to see me graduate. I skipped the party afterwards to go to the hospital, she got to see me in my cap and gown. She told me she loved me and would always be proud of me before she died."

"I'm so sorry Jake." She put a hand on his shoulder.

"You know the rest." He concluded brushing a tear from his eye. She nodded.

"So what happened to Susan?"

"I couldn't ask her to stay with me and help me raise my siblings. She had plans, we both did. She went off to Paris and became a famous model and I stayed here. Well, until the Library and you all came along."

They arrived at the place Jenkins told them to meet. They had only a few moments to spare before he arrived.

"So are you going to meet her?" Cassandra asked cautiously not really wanting to hear the answer.

"Well yeah…I gotta get my hat back."

Cassandra smiled and then gasped. "What about Josh?"

"Leave him to me, he's a lover not a fighter, all I have to do is tell him you are engaged to a big guy named Brutus and he'll back off."

A light blazed around the door they were parked in front of and when it opened Jenkins stood there motioning for her to come.

She got out then turned back. "Wait! What about the chain, why did you give it to me?"

"Miss Cillian, you have 10 seconds." Jenkins pressed.

"I'll tell you when I get back. I promise."

**As I write this, workers are destroying my kitchen to make way for a new one so you may get more than one chapter since I am stuck in my home office for awhile. Enjoy...**


	9. Chapter 9

"With all due respect Dad, I'm 37 years old, I don't have to run anything by you."

"I ain't as dumb as I look." Jed Stone said to his son at his apartment right before he left for the Library.

"What are you talking about, I told you I'm working at the Portsmith Refinery in Portland. Less work, better money too. Isn't that your motto?" Jake smirked and patted his father on the shoulder as he continued to pack his bags.

"Well I just called my friend Wally who works at that refinery to tell him to take care of my son and he told me there ain't no Jake Stone coming to work for him as a heavy equipment repair specialist. What are you really going to do son?" He stared at him waiting for a response. Jake turned his back to him; Jed nodded as he realized what he feared for a long time was happening.

"You're going to see how smart you are aren't you, going to some kind of fancy school, work with fancy people."

"What if I am, what's it to you? You only cared about me when I was Jake Stone the football player or Jake Stone the one the girls all adored."

The elder man glowered at his son and came toward him with raised fists as if to strike him. Jake pushed him aside to defend himself; he fell to the floor. Jed looked up at his son with a look of fear in his eyes as he wiped a tiny bit of blood from his lip. Jake extended his hand to help him up feeling instantly guilty. His father refused his help as he backed away and stood up.

"You look just like him, everything about you reminds me of him." He straightened up and sneered at his son.

"Who?"

"Your uncle Roy."

"Who is uncle Roy? It's only ever been you and Aunt Lucille." Jake replied confused.

"Roy is my twin brother. He was like you smart. IQ of 175. They found out when he was five. My momma was so proud, she imagined him to be the next Einstein, da Vinci or Edison. She spent all her money on him got him all kinds of tutors; sent him to a fancy boarding school when he was seven and running circles around them."

So he and Emma weren't the only ones. "What? Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Because when he was fifteen he burned down the house where he lived with his host family killing everyone inside. Six people. The police found him outside carving up their german sheperd. He said the voices were telling him he had to eat the dog to get stronger but his host family wouldn't let him. He's in Montana in a prison for the criminally insane."

Jake fell limp on the sofa his heart beating out of his chest, hardly able to breathe as he tried to process what he just heard.

"Word travels fast in a little town; when they found out what my brother did…Well let's just say people can be very cruel. Momma moved us out of where we lived in Texas to Oklahoma. A few months later, she met your granddaddy William Stone and he adopted us giving us his name. She made us swear never to tell anyone about Roy and we forgot about him. The day your mom told me about your IQ score, I knew it was a curse." Jed put a hand on his shoulder.

"No good can come from you getting involved with these people, not from our family."

Jake shrugged his father off, put his hands to his ears, shaking his head at him. "So what, you think that I am going to turn out like him, is that why you shunned me, made me feel unwanted, made mom have to sneak around to go to a museum or library with me?"

"I did it for your own good son, they would have taken you and subjected to all kinds of tests and experiments like they did with Roy. They drove him mad and I didn't want the same for you."

"Well I'm not him. I'm leaving Dad, I don't accept your, 'this is a curse' explanation. I'm going to work with people I can be myself around, people who appreciate and need my knowledge and do some good in this world." He took his bags and headed for the door.

"If you leave don't come back you hear. Stay away from our family." Jake burned with anger at that threat. He turned to face his father one last time.

"Don't come back? Who are you to tell me don't come back? Where were you when Libby broke her arm at cheerleading practice, when Billy got arrested for underage drinking and had to be bailed out or when he got appendicitis? Who paid for Josh's braces, made sure they always had a hot meal to eat, got to bed on time, had clean clothes to wear? Who walked Libby down the aisle at her wedding because her father was too stinking drunk to stand let alone walk? For the past twenty years I have been more of a father to them than you ever were, you don't have the right to tell me I can't come back old man!" He slammed the door and left.

Jake sat in his truck staring at the door Cassandra had just gone through reliving that conversation. How could he ever tell that to her or anyone else? He spent years creating his fun-loving, beer drinking, regular good ole boy persona. To suddenly tell his family and friends hey I'm a genius and by the way we have a crazy uncle who is one too was out of the question.

And Cassie? How could he trust her with that information? She would analyze and run the mathematical probabilities of him becoming like his uncle. He bristled at the thought that maybe just maybe he could become like him, maybe it wasn't Cassie he couldn't trust but himself. He couldn't bear the idea that he could be pre-dispositioned for evil instead of good. "Oh Cassie if only I could be sure…"

His phone buzzed and he read the message. "Hi Jake don't forget this…" Attached was a picture of Susan in a figure hugging jersey dress wearing his hat. I guess I better go get my hat, he sighed as he drove to the address she gave.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Warning, may get intense...**_

Jake was escorted to a private elevator that went directly to the penthouse on the fifteenth floor of the Lancaster Hotel. He whistled in admiration as he looked around.

The main room was a tribute to Western décor with a modern twist. Earth tones with punches of turquoise and orange made it cozy yet upscale. A massive stone fireplace served as the focal point with a camel colored leather sofa in front of it, an exquisite handmade Navajo rug on the floor, an ornate chandelier handcrafted with amber mica shades, antique copper hardware and elk antlers hung above.

Upholstered armchairs in a tone on tone ivory fabric with a subtle Native American design flanked the sofa on both sides. Oversized colorful pillows trimmed with leather were the finishing touch. Original paintings by local artists hung on the walls and Jake was impressed by an original Georgia O'Keefe featured on it's own wall.

"That one cost almost two million dollars, but well worth it wouldn't you say?" Susan came out to greet Jake still in that jersey dress. "I designed this suite for the hotel, like it?"

"It's beautiful. I didn't know you were a designer, I thought your were into the whole modeling thing."

She went over to the bar and poured herself a glass of wine and gave him bottle of his favorite beer. "You inspired me you know. There's not much work for a 32-year-old model and I remembered our visits to art exhibits and museums when we were together. I discovered I liked art almost as much as you. I got my degree in fine arts and studied interior design. I just launched my design business a year ago."

Jake took a sip from the bottle and chuckled. "Now Susan, you know that you and I are the same age, and if I remember correctly we both have birthdays coming up, in fact yours is two weeks before mine."

Susan wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out playfully at him. "Spoil sport."

"I'm happy for you, you have really made something out of yourself, but I should have known, you were always a go-getter."

They went out on the balcony admiring the view of downtown Tulsa.

"So what brought you back to Oklahoma, I thought you were living in Paris or Italy." He asked.

"Florence to be exact. I was there until my husband left me for a twenty-two year old Italian hussy. I made sure he regretted it, took him for half of his net worth." She clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowed.

"Don't mess with an Okie." Jake replied with a wink, touched her glass with his bottle and finished his beer.

"I came back to reconnect with my roots, I was so happy to leave our little town, but never more happy than when I came back. I missed my momma and daddy, missed my old friends and I missed you." She gave him a sly look.

"Me?"

"Last night at Duke's brought back old memories… old feelings. You could have had everything you wanted, college, prestige, money, but you gave it up to keep your family together. I wish I could have had the same courage as you to stay, maybe we could have had a happy life together." Tears welled up and fell freely down her cheek.

"I couldn't do that to you, you had dreams of your own." He took her in his arms to comfort her, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "You want to know a secret about me? I have an IQ of 190. Nobody in my family or my friends know about that. Only my parents knew. It's just as well, because I found out a few months ago that I have an uncle who is also a genius but he's criminally insane. My father called it a curse and for years shunned me afraid that I was headed for the same fate and there are some days I'm not so sure he is wrong." He turned and went inside. She followed.

"No Jake you're wrong. You are the kindest, gentlest man I know. The Jake I know sacrificed it all for love, that is not the picture of a crazy man."

"Yeah well, I gotta go Suzie, I just came by to get my hat." He spotted it on a chair and went over to pick it up.

"Jake stay with me." She grabbed his arm. "I'm flying to London today, to meet with a very wealthy client, come with me. You and I can start over again, with your knowledge of art and history we could be so successful. You can help your family, provide for them the way you always wanted to."

She pressed her body close to him and began to kiss him on his neck. He closed his eyes, old feelings were stirring inside as she led her kisses to his lips. He returned her kiss, moving to her ear, his breath hot against her skin as he went down her neck to her shoulders. He unzipped her dress. It fell to the floor revealing a sheer, low cut black camisole and shorts.

Her body responded in delight as his hands traveled under the camisole up and down her body. It was soon off with one quick move as they swayed in unison to the bedroom. He picked her up and placed her on the bed, nestling her beneath him. He took off his shirt revealing a well muscled chest and she squealed her approval as she began kissing his abdomen then pulled him down to her running her hands along his strong smooth back wrapping her legs around his.

"Just like I remember." She said in a low husky voice. She went to move his chain and saw that it wasn't there. "I'm so glad you're not wearing that old chain. It was always in the way." She said with a laugh and continued kissing him.

Jake suddenly stopped as if waking up from a trance. He leapt off the bed and grabbed his shirt. Cassandra's face popped into his mind and he felt a sick pit in his stomach.

"I'm sorry darlin' but I have to go. Susan you are a beautiful, desirable woman but what we had is gone, and I can't take advantage of you this way. Please forgive me."

"It's that chain isn't it? You never took it off even when I begged you to. You gave it to someone special am I right?" He nodded.

"Who?"

"My eight year old niece Emma." He lied feeling guilty for almost betraying Cassandra. "And I forgot we have a date."

Susan got dressed and smoothed her hair. "You're a good man Jake, don't ever forget it."

"Thank you darlin'." He gave her a final kiss on her cheek and left, this time he made sure to take his hat.

Moments after he left, a call came for Susan from the front desk.

"Your Limo is here Ms. Harper."

"Thanks I'll be down in a minute." She replied in a calm, cool voice.


	11. Chapter 11

A limo picked Susan up from a private airport and took her to the heart of London's financial district. She took the elevator to her client's office on the 28th floor of St. Helen's tower. A pretty brunette with large brown eyes led her to the conference room. "Please wait here," she said in a soft Irish accent. "and make yourself at home, Ms. Harper."

On the table were all kinds of pastries, fruit, cheeses and crackers. A fully stocked bar was on one side, she poured herself a glass of wine sat down and munched on some cheese and grapes while she waited.

"Ah, Ms. Harper, so glad you are here. I hope you had a pleasant trip." A tall elegantly dressed gentleman entered with his assistant a few minutes later. He looked thin and gaunt but his outward sickly appearance was overshadowed by his enthusiasm in meeting her. He introduced her to his assistant who gave her a curt smile.

His enthusiasm dulled when he realized she was alone. "It seems that your powers of persuasion were not as good as you thought, Jacob Stone is not here."

"No he is not, I'm sorry Mr. Dulaque." She answered her voice a bit nervous.

"No matter, did you find out anything interesting or unusual about him?"

"He's still the same Jake, but he did tell me something about an uncle he recently found out about. Seems like he is a genius too, although he is criminally insane."

"Hmmm…" he mused out loud. "Does this uncle have a name, an address?"

"He didn't say."

"Did he mention a talisman of some sort? Something of value he possessed?"

"Not about his uncle but if it helps, Jake always wore a chain with a heart and the word promise engraved on it. He was very protective of it, never took it off, but when we were…well let's just say intimate he wasn't wearing it. When I asked about it, he told me he gave it to his eight year-old niece Emma."

"Interesting…Is there a third?" the man asked his eyes widening.

"A third?"

"Yes, my dear girl, a third one like them." He was growing impatient.

"I'm not sure, we didn't really talk much." She smiled as she thought about their recent encounter.

"Very well…" The man sighed. "At the count of three you shall not remember any of this conversation, or the true purpose behind my request for your services. To you I am Harrison Smythe, billionaire business man, jet setter, bon vivant…"

"Just hurry it up." Lamia groaned and rolled her eyes at him.

"One…two…three." As if by magic plans from her portfolio were spread over the conference room table. She blinked and regained her composure.

"Oh, so where was I?" She pointed to the fabric samples. "I think the blue herringbone is an excellent choice for the chairs."

"Very well Ms. Harper I'll look over your proposal and let you know what I decide."

"Thank you Mr. Smythe, I look forward to hearing from you."

He signaled to the woman standing next to him. "My assistant will show you out, and please enjoy the city, my treat."

"Really Dulaque, you should have let me kill her, if I didn't know you better, I'd think you are getting soft." Lamia smirked at him when she came back a few minutes later.

"Why deprive the world of her beauty, besides I may have use for her later. Anyway we have more pressing matters. It seems our plan to kill off the Librarians one by one was a bit hasty."

"What do you mean?" Lamia asked. She had so looked forward to running Jake through with her sword and her disappointment was obvious.

"I need you to go back to Mr. Stone's hometown and investigate this for me. If he turns out to be who I think he is then we can use him to our advantage. If not then my dear you can kill him at will." He rubbed his chin, thinking.

"Only one problem with your little plan, I have already been there, one of his country bumpkin friends may recognize me."

"Yes that is true…" He turned around to face her and with a flick of his wrist he changed her appearance.

"What did you do?" she shrieked as she felt her body change.

"See for yourself."

She looked in the mirror and screamed. "Your turned me into a fat, old spinster you miserable…"

"Watch your tongue." He warned. "Besides you are not fat, your are pleasingly plump."

Lamia grunted in disgust as she looked at her new body. She was now a short slightly overweight middle-aged woman with graying hair in a bun. She had large blue eyes, naturally rosy cheeks and a kind look on her face, the kind that anyone would instantly trust.

"If Mr. Stone gave his chain to this girl, she is special to him, she could be the third one. You, my dear Lamia, you will be Miss Wilma Farber a substitute teacher at her school. Get to know her, gain her trust, find out all you can about this family. Of course I will have to plan an accident for her current teacher…"

"What is all this talk about a third one? What do they possess?" Lamia asked her curiosity piqued.

"If they are who I hope, everything."


	12. Chapter 12

Jake was humming as he came through the door. Libby was in the kitchen making lunch from the left over turkey, Charlie kept her company sitting at the table coloring while baby Elizabeth slept peacefully in the other room.

"Someone sure sounds happy. Did Cassandra get off ok?" She asked.

"Yup."

"And, did you see Susan afterwards? Josh told me you were going to see her after you took Cassandra to the airport."

"Yup." He replied.

"Jake are you just going to give me one syllable answers? I want to know everything. "Did the sparks fly between you two again?''

"She invited me to go to London with her."

"And you said yes, right?" Her eyes brightened at the thought of them together again.

"I said no." He tousled his nephew's hair then took one of the turkey sandwiches Libby just made and took a big bite.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I want you to be happy."

"It's ok, we realized it's not in the cards for us, she could never get used to this life again and I have a new job that I like very much." He gave her a hug and kissed her on the cheek. "But thanks for looking out for me sis."

He looked around the empty quiet house. "So where is everybody?" He asked.

"Dad's in his favorite place," she replied pointing to the den, "Wyatt and A.J. are at the park with Billy and the boys. Amy went to check on her house and Josh is…somewhere, not sure where though."

"Where's Emma?" He looked around to see where she could be. "I have a surprise for her."

"She's probably upstairs in one of the rooms." Jake smiled; he knew which one.

"Hi monkey" He greeted as he opened the door to his old room.

"Hi Uncle Jake, I'm almost finished the book."

"Already? Emma you need to pace yourself." He chuckled remembering how he was the same way when he got swept up in a book.

"Hey sweetheart, while I was in Tulsa I saw a sign for an exhibit at an art gallery not too far from here that is featuring art work and books on King Arthur. There is even going to be a storyteller as well. I thought you might like to go."

"I'd love to!" she exclaimed jumping off the bed. "When do we go?"

"Right now, I called your mom and she it's ok so go get your coat darlin'." He got her a sandwich and a juice to eat in the truck. In between bites she chattered with excitement.

"I've never been to an art gallery before have you?"

"Oh a few."

"Uncle Jake?"

"Yeah monkey."

"You are smart too, right, as smart as me."

"I don't know how smart are you?"

"They said I have an IQ of 195."

Jake smiled. "No I'm not as smart as you." Emma frowned.

"190." He replied.

"I knew it! You are like me."

"Yeah you found out my secret." He touched her cheek and she giggled when he playfully pulled the hood from her coat over her head.

"But why don't you tell anybody, Uncle Jake?"

"Well it's complicated, I when I was growing up it wasn't so cool to be smart so I kind of kept it to myself. It was easier that way for me, but I don't want you to be ashamed of your gift, and that is what it is."

"Are you still ashamed?"

"Not any more sweetheart, not anymore."

They arrived at the gallery a little past one in the afternoon and went inside. A CD of instrumental Celtic Christmas music played softly in the background. There were fifteen other people there and Jake and Cassie took their time looking at each canvas, Jake explaining what was being depicted, the symbolism, giving her information about the artist and the period. Emma listened to him with undivided attention; master and student were enjoying their afternoon.

The storyteller was announced and the group made their way to another room. The stage was dimly lit and dressed to look like a room from the medieval times.

He came out dressed and introduced himself as Sir Galahad. He recited poem about Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, his English accent made Emma feel like she was in that world. He recounted many battles he and Arthur fought together. Jake studied his costume very carefully. It looked very much like an authentic suit of armor and coat of arms he saw in England, but he told himself it was not possible, those things were priceless and in museums.

"The last thing I would like to show you is how a knight uses his sword to defend himself. I need a volunteer from the audience." As he scanned the room, two young boys a tall one and his shorter companion came up to the stage.

"Enthusiasm, that's what I like. Well let me size you two up." He made the tall one turn around. He let him take the sword which he tried to lift it up but the weight was too much for him. "Sorry my good man, perhaps in a few years when you have put on a few pounds." The audience laughed as he motioned for him to take his seat.

The other boy remained on stage. Sir Galahad walked around him then took his sword and measured him with it. My dear sir, in order to be a knight you must be taller than your weapon. Come back to me when you have grown more." The audience was thoroughly enjoying their show and Emma was giggling with delight.

"I need some one like…" he scanned the audience again. "You sir, yes you in the blue shirt. A man behind Jake stood up. "No, you." He pointed at Jake and motioned him to come. Jake tried to refuse politely.

"Come on Uncle Jake, you can take on that old knight." The audience cheered him on and he went up to the stage feeling quite embarrassed.

"Ah, thank you for your cooperation, my good man. I shall call you… son of Armineous." Now let me show you a few maneuvers. He got another sword from a gallery worker and the two began their simulation.

"Excellent work son of Armineous, excellent. The old knight pulled him close for one move and whispered, _R__í__ce Withinnan __Á__dloma_." Jake recognized the phrase as old English for _Power Within One_ and stared at him, baffled by the phrase. He got the feeling he'd heard it before. He stepped back to face him again, the jovial nature of the performance was now gone. The knight's face was somber and his breathing became heavy and focused. He lunged at Jake with the full force of his body, making Jake stumble back. He regained his balance, blocked the knight's strike and lunged back disarming him.

The audience leapt from their chairs and gave the pair a standing ovation. Emma was shouting, "That's my Uncle Jake!"

Jake gave a shy bow and tried to exit the stage quickly. He got back to his seat when the knight called him back.

"You sir are the first to disarm me in a millennia, please accept this humble gift as a reward." Everyone called for him to go up. The knight presented him with a burlap pouch.

Inside was a blue, crystal jewel about three inches in diameter. "Keep it safe." He warned pressing it in his hand and closing it for him. It was nothing expensive he noted on inspection, but it made for a nice souvenir. He tucked in his coat pocket. Jake smirked, this guy is really taking this too seriously.

"How did you learn to sword fight like that?" Emma asked on the way home.

"Instinct I guess." He answered not sure himself, but it felt familiar, he remembered having a similar dream once, the product of reading too many stories about knights as a child he mused.

When they got back home everyone was there gathered around the table eating and talking. Emma told them all about their trip to the gallery making the boys very jealous. For once they were envious of her.

"Uncle Jake can you take us?" Shane pleaded. "Yeah, I want to see a sword fight" Travis added. They then used their forks as swords to fight each other. A.J. and Charlie piped in too. "We want to go see the knight."

"We'll see about it." Jake felt his phone vibrate and picked it up.

"Mr. Stone, we need you back at the Library ASAP." Jenkins voice sounded worried.


	13. Chapter 13

Jake turned to his family. "I have to go, some sort of equipment failure at the refinery, they need me to come check it out right away."

They groaned in unison at his announcement. "I have an hour to get to the airport so I better say my goodbyes now." He hugged his family; A.J looked particularly sad.

"Does that mean we can't see the knight?" He asked.

"I'll make it up to you buddy, I promise." He gave his nephew an extra special bear hug.

Before leaving Jake headed for the den. He opened the door to find his father in his familiar spot.

"Dad, I gotta go, I'm needed at work."

"Work, ha!" He sneered keeping his eyes on the T.V. screen.

"Well have a Happy New Year, take care." Jake turned to leave.

"Son?" Jed called out.

"Yes Dad?"

"Knowledge can be a dangerous thing, remember that."

Jake shrugged and closed the door. He would never understand. He gathered his things and went to his truck. Emma was waiting for him.

"I don't think you work at a refinery, I think you work somewhere special. With Cassie. Say hello to her for me."

"I won't lie to you monkey, you're right, but I need you to keep this between us ok?"

"I won't tell." She crossed her heart and locked her lips with a twist of her wrist. "Thank you for taking me to the gallery today." She gave him a kiss and a hug then skipped back to the house.

Josh came running out before he could leave. "Hey wait, what about me going to Portland? When can I come?"

"Josh, I don't know how to say this, but she's engaged. To a big, jealous guy named Brutus. I wouldn't mess with his woman if I were you."

Jake laughed watching Josh through his rearview mirror. He looked crestfallen as he shuffled back to the house.

When he got to the library, Jenkins, Baird and Cassandra where frantically running about gathering information. Jenkins pointed to the clippings book. Unexplained tremors were happening all over. Soon Jake joined them helping gather information to find out what kind of magic was causing this phenomenon. Ezekiel didn't help but at least ordered pizzas for all of them.

Flynn came unexpectedly through the door and solved the mystery for them stating it was dragons, waking up from their sleep. This latest predicament sent Flynn, Baird, Jake and Cassandra to Italy to find where the western dragons were known to be and retrieve the mystic pearl their enemy the eastern dragons accused them of stealing before any more chaos broke out worldwide.

The door Jenkins sent them through took them to a rooftop on a building in Rome. Cassandra took a moment to take in the night sky; Jake stood next to her and could not help but notice how lovely she looked especially in the moonlight. He stole glances at her as they looked out over the city trying to get their bearings. He hoped to get a quiet moment to talk to her but before they knew it they were running from the Vatican police for trespassing. They found the courtyard where Flynn said the entrance to the dragon's lair was and tried to figure out the exact entrance before they were caught.

Cassandra was concentrating on solving the riddle that would let them enter but started to lose focus. Jake held her arm and stopped her. "Cassandra, hey listen, listen… the other memory." She looked in his eyes as his soft, low voice and his gentle touch calmed her down enough to let her concentrate.

When the Apple of Discord almost turned her into a psychotic killer he was able to disarm her by tricking her mind. She fainted and he caught her before she fell to the floor. "She writes a lot in this little book and I pay attention." He said to the others as he held her in his arms.

Flynn and Baird ran off to find the apple, Jake stayed with her while she recovered. He had her dress in his hands, he gave it to her and she turned away from him as she quickly put it back on.

"I'm so embarrassed, I almost killed thousands of people. And why did I take off my dress?"

"Don't be so hard on yourself Cassie, you were under a spell. Besides the evil you was kind of hot." He teased. She giggled, turning away from him hoping he wouldn't notice her nervousness.

"Thank you. You saved me, you saved all those people." Her body was shaking with guilt, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Hey now, come on no need for that." He wrapped his arms around her and held her. She felt a warm sensation flowing through her body, her breathing slowed and she allowed herself to relax in his arms.

He wanted very much to kiss her, but decided against it. Too soon he told himself. Instead he looked in her eyes and smiled. "Come on we better try and find that apple."

"Too late," she replied, "Flynn has it." They followed him back to the library where Ezekiel was able to steal the apple while Flynn was ranting to the members of the conclave. Since he was already the worst version of himself, the apple had no effect on him. He was able to hold it while Jenkins got the container to put it in, and neutralize its power, thus saving the day.

With another mission accomplished, Flynn congratulated them on a job well done before leaving again. Ezekiel went off in search of something to do, Baird tried to rearrange Flynn's desk again, and Jenkins was at the table trying to figure out a way to permanently seal the apple in its container.

Cassandra was sitting at the other end of the table staring at nothing in particular. "You ok?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, I just need a moment to myself."

"Ok." He replied. He took the book he brought home and went upstairs to his quiet spot to try to read it since he had no luck at home. Soft footsteps came up a few minutes later. She handed him a beer; he glanced up at her. "Thanks Cassie."

"Mind if I sit here with you?" She asked. Jake smiled and closed his book. No reading would be done today.

"So you really notice what I write in my book?"

"Mmm hmm… It's pretty easy when you talk to yourself as you are writing." He smiled at his joke. She frowned. "What's really on your mind Cassie?"

She took the chain out to show him. "You promised you would explain why you gave me this."

"Ah that…I almost forgot. It was the last thing my mother gave to me before she died. I was concentrating more on football than my grades and she was afraid I would mess up my chance of studying at the Sorbonne or Cambridge. 'They don't give football scholarships there' she would tell me.

"She gave me that charm as a reminder of the promise I made to her that I would follow my dreams, to become something other than an oil worker. Even though I didn't go to school, I did try to keep my promise to her and studied on my own, pretty much teaching myself everything I know. It's very special to me."

"So why did you give it to me?" She asked knowing that he still had issues trusting her.

"I've never known anyone like you before and I'm glad you are in my life Cassie. I just wanted you to know that." Cassandra sensed there was more but didn't press. He took her hand and kissed it and got up to go downstairs.

"Hey, I want to show you something." He helped her up and held her hand as they descended. He showed her the blue crystal and told her about his and Emma's visit to an art gallery and the phrase the knight said to him that only he heard. Jenkins, who had been eavesdropping in and out, broke into their conversation.

"May I see that Mr. Stone?" Jake gave it to him. He hurled it on the floor breaking it into tiny pieces.

"What the hell are you doing Jenkins!" Jake shouted.

Jenkins bent down and picked up a smaller white crystal with the phrase _R__í__ce Withinnan __Á__dloma_ engraved on it. "Oh boy, we may have a problem." He sighed.


	14. Chapter 14

Jenkins went to the shelves and retrieved a small dusty book. It looked ancient like so many others except for the faded words_ R__í__ce Withinnan __Á__dloma _written ornately in silver on the dark blue front cover.

"What is it?" Col. Baird asked as the team gathered around Jenkins.

"This is a forgotten legend." Jenkins began.

"Tell me Mr. Stone are there any more geniuses in your family?"

"He has an eight year old niece Emma who is gifted." Cassandra offered.

Jake glared at her, she gave him a sheepish glance and bowed her head.

"Cassie's right, she has an IQ of 195."

"Are there any more?" he pressed.

"Why?" Jake asked feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise and a funny pit in his stomach.

"If there is another one, he or she must be the oldest, since you are most likely the middle and Emma the youngest." He started to mumble incoherently.

"Jenkins what is this all about? You're being cryptic again." Baird was growing impatient.

"I'm going read you a story."

_The Legend of Armineous the Bold_

_In the days of King Arthur lived a ruler of a neighboring land called Caerwenth_. "Today we know it as the south of modern day Wales." Jenkins explained.

_The ruler of this great land was called Armineous and he came to power when he was just 18. Although he was a brave lad, he had not the ability or wisdom to rule his land and was soon under siege from marauders who sought to take his kingdom._

_A powerful wizard who knew the heart of the young man came to his aide and protected Armineous and his kingdom from his enemies._

"_Great sir, I am forever in your debt." The humble king thanked the wizard. _

_The wizard, impressed by his humility gave him three gifts: great wisdom, great courage, and great strength._

"_And these gifts will pass on to your children and their children. May your kingdom always prosper." _

_The wizard then gave him a crystal with the words R__í__ce Withinnan __Á__dlomain inscribed. "So long as your family possesses this, your kingdom will see no end. Protect it, keep it safe." With those words the wizard vanished._

_As time went on Armineous became a great and benevolent ruler. He married the fair Blodwyn a maiden with long fiery hair and eyes the color of the deepest jade. They had three beautiful children:_

_The oldest Cadfael meaning battle prince, was gifted in all manner of strategic warfare and weapons and courageous like his father, _

_The middle son Brynmore meaning great hill, was gifted in knowledge of art, music and diplomacy, and wise like his father. _

_The youngest daughter Aerowyn meaning fair one, was gifted in all things of science and logic and strong like her father._

_One evening as Armineous and his wife were retiring for the night a man appeared before them dressed in white robes tied with a purple sash._

"_I have need of your services great king. I am Merlin, the wizard who aided you so many years before."_

_King Armineous bade him to enter and had his servants prepare a feast for his old friend._

"_Anything you ask I shall give you even to half my kingdom if you desire." He pledged._

"_My master, King Arthur a great and noble ruler is in need of soldiers to help him defeat King Lot of Gododdin. They are now on the hill of Agned preparing for battle._

_Armineous spared no time getting his soldiers to go to battle for the noble king. The battle was long and fierce. In the end with the help of Armineous, King Arthur was victorious. A great feast to honor his new ally was held and all who attended rejoiced, pledging their eternal loyalty to King Armineous the Bold._

_Five years later the great king lay dying. He called his children to him and blessed them each. "With your combined gifts you three shall rule as one." He showed them the crystal Merlin entrusted to him. "So long as this crystal remains in our land we will be blessed but I warn you, let not one of you take the power of the crystal for him or herself, for it will bring great consequence."_

_For ten years the kingdom of Caerwenth remained a prosperous and peaceful kingdom as Cadfael, Brynmore and Aerowyn remained united and loyal to each other ruling together as their father wished._

_One summer a princess from a neighboring land in the north came to consult with Brynmore who was known for his great wisdom and diplomacy._

_The maiden Rhosyn was as beautiful as the flower for which she was named with long raven locks and crystal blue eyes. She and Brynmore fell in love and planned to marry, but Cadfael who secretly burned in his desire for her sought to make her his own. _

_He consulted with practitioners of black magic who tried to make a spell or potion to make her fall in love with him. Alas the love she had for Brynmore and he for her proved stronger than any magic and grew with each passing day while Cadfael grew more jealous, hatred for his brother growing in his heart._

_On the morning of the wedding as she walked with her lady- in-waiting in the garden, Cadfael killed the maiden and took the princess to his castle. He stormed the council chamber and stole the crystal from its pedestal._

_Brynmore, upon hearing this rode his horse to his brother and pleaded with him._

"_Brother, do not commit this great sin, do not take what is not yours, we must remain united, rule as one. Return the crystal to the council chamber and my beloved to me and all will be forgiven, we will never speak of this again." _

_The elder brother laughed. "You and your words mean nothing to me. I am a man of action, I take what I want." He took Rhosyn into his bedchamber where he tried to make love to her. She fought his advances and found a dagger which she used to slash his face and then made her escape._

_Brynmore who had stormed his brother's castle found her running away and called to her. "My love," she cried and they ran towards each other. She was stilled as she felt a burning in her heart. She looked down to see her white dress turn crimson. She felt weak as she stumbled in to her beloved's arms._

"_NO!" he cried as he caught her. She touched her hand to his face and smiled. "I love you." She whispered as her life ebbed away by an arrow that pierced her gentle heart._

_Cadfael fled to the hills beyond their kingdom and planned to rid the kingdom of his brother and sister and rule as one. He fashioned a chain of iron enchanted by a sorcerer to protect the crystal. Cadfael wore the chain and the crystal within gave him unequaled power but bound him to an eternal fate of darkness and evil. He gathered all manner of vile man and beast to his side and plotted his attack._

_Brynmore mourned Rhosyn for six months and on the seventh planned his retaliation for the evil his brother had committed. Aerowyn who loved both her brothers pleaded with him to forgive him. "I will forgive him for taking the life of my beloved Rhosyn but I cannot leave this kingdom unprotected I must defend it to the end." And with that his fate was sealed to eternal light and good._

_Aerowyn, seeing her brother's steadfastness rode out to Cadfael to plead for her brother and their people. She stayed with him for six more months pleading with him everyday._

_The day of battle came and as the two sides gathered, Aerowyn tried one last time. She rode out to Brynmore and then to Cadfael. Cadfael grabbed her off her horse and held his sword to her throat._

"_We can resolve this brother, you and I right here and now. I challenge you to a duel. The champion gets the kingdom the loser death."_

"_No Brynmore no!" his sister shrieked, "He has the crystal!"_

_Brynmore winked at his sister. "But I have good on my side." He accepted the challenge and the two began their duel. Both sides cleared a circle for them to fight, each side with weapons ready in case the other side lost._

_The sound of steel against steel echoed throughout. Brother against brother fought thrusting, blocking and lunging at each other with great ferocity. At last Brynmore had his brother pinned and defeated. Cadfael bowed waiting for his fate. Aerowyn intervened for her brother and the elder took advantage of the distraction to once again hold her hostage. Brynmore stopped, Cadfael quickly took his sword and drove it through his brother's heart killing him._

_As he cheered with his men, Aerowyn took her dead brother's sword and thrust it into Cadfael's heart killing him. She took the crystal from his neck and placed it around hers. Brynmore's soldiers killed the rebels, she had her brothers bodies brought back and returned to their kingdom as sole ruler. After they were buried and mourned, she tried to destroy the crystal. When she could not she had it encased inside an ordinary rock, but it turned into a crystal itself. She took the crystal threw into the sea. She ruled the kingdom for sixty years and upon her death the kingdom of Armineous the Bold was finally overtaken, her descendants scattered throughout the world._

Jenkins closed the book and sighed. He took the crystal and looked at it. "The story fell into legend, and one that has thankfully faded into obscurity until now." Baird was confused.

"Jenkins, quick question, how is this crystal magical and if so what are it's powers?"

"So long as there is not a third the crystal is powerless. And Mr. Stone has only told us of his niece so he cannot be a descendant."

Jake turned away and stayed quiet. He waited until everyone was gone then approached Jenkins.

"There is a third" he whispered to him.

"What? Why didn't you say anything?" a shocked Jenkins fired back.

"Because he is in Montana in a facility for the criminally insane, that's not something I wanted to share with the group, especially Cassandra."

Jenkins put his hand over his mouth. "Does anybody know about him?"

"Just my dad and Susan. It kind of slipped out when…" He shook his head trying to erase the memory from his mind.

"Are they trustworthy?"

"My dad is ashamed of him and of me and Susan didn't seem to care."

"Does she know about your niece?"

"No."

"Does your father?"

"No."

"All right, we should be ok and so long as the crystal stays here nothing will come of it."

"Jenkins what could happen if it fell into the wrong hands?" Jake asked.

"In the wrong hands? Oh only the power to control the fate of the world."


	15. Chapter 15

"Come on Emma, Christmas vacation is over you're going to be late for school." Amy called upstairs to her daughter.

"Be right down." She got the book Jake gave her for Christmas and stuffed it in her already full book bag before going downstairs. She ate her breakfast then joined her brothers at the school bus stop.

"Geez, Emma, as if you couldn't get anymore weirder, why are you bringing that big book, you've read it at least ten times." Shane asked rolling his eyes at her.

"It's weird, not weirder." She corrected, "and besides I want to show it to my teacher Miss D'Angelo."

The bus dropped them off; she went to the spot in the schoolyard where her teacher would wait for her class to take them inside and noticed another woman standing in Miss D'Angelo's spot. Once they hung their coats and took theirs seats she introduced herself.

"Good morning children, I am your substitute teacher Miss Farber. Miss D'Angelo had an accident over the Christmas break but not to worry she should be back in a week or so." Lamia in her disguise as the pleasingly plump teacher Dulaque turned her into, forced a smile mumbling under her breath, "I'm going to get you for this."

She picked up the roll book and opened it. "Very well I shall start by taking attendance." The children responded to their names and Miss Farber went quickly down the list.

"Cindi Smalls?" "Here."

"Ellwood Smith?" "Here.

"Emma Stone?" "Here."

"Hmm…" Miss Farber stopped.

"Yeah, I know, like the actress." Emma explained.

"But she's hot and you are weird." Ellwood joked while making circles with his finger around his ear. The class roared with laughter at his remark but Emma seemed unaffected by his taunt.

Miss Farber snapped a ruler on her desk. The children straightened up and instantly stopped laughing.

"I will not tolerate any sort of bullying or name calling in this class, we are here to learn, and help each other. "Mr. Smith, stand up." The boy got up and gulped.

"This is your first and last warning. Don't be fooled by my appearance, I am an expert in martial arts and I will not hesitate to use my skills on you."

"You can't, that's against the rules. I'll tell." He crossed his arms and held his head up, daring her.

She walked over to him and whispered in his ear. "Who said it would be anything noticeable? It will be my word against yours, and who ever believes a bully?" Beads of sweat formed on Ellwood's brow and he began to shake. "Sorry ma'am." He said. She motioned toward Emma. "Sorry Emma." He sat down and put his face in his hands.

Miss Farber went back to her desk and got out their lesson book. "Your teacher has left assignments for you on pages 50-61. Read silently, complete the review questions then turn it into me when you are done."

When the bell for recess rung and the children closed their books. Miss Farber escorted them out. Emma stayed behind to talk to her.

"Thanks for sticking up for me, but it's ok, I'm used to it. My uncle Jake says I should never be ashamed of being myself."

"Your uncle seems like a good man."

"He's the best." She turned and skipped out the door, her light brown curls bouncing all around her.

After recess, the class settled back in their seats.

"Class I have a wonderful project for you." Miss Farber began. "Since I am new here I'd like to get to know you all better. I would like for you to make a family tree and put all your family members on it. Go back as far as you can and tell the class of any interesting family stories." The class murmured among themselves some excited, others unhappy about the prospect of having to talk in front of the class.

"Have your projects ready by Wednesday, I look forward to hearing about your families."

When school was done for the day, Miss Farber dismissed the children. Emma was last to leave. A thick book fell out of her bag as she left.

"Emma your book." She called to her. The little girl came running back.

"The Tales of King Arthur." Those are some of my favorite stories.

"My uncle Jake gave it to me for Christmas, I wanted to show it to Miss D'Angelo."

"I see, well you could share it with me if you like."

"Really?" Emma started to tell her about the heroes and villains and went on and on. Lamia wished she had a switch to turn her off, but she smiled and pretended to care.

"And then my uncle Jake took me to a gallery where he and a storyteller dressed like a knight had a sword fight, my uncle won and the knight gave him a shiny blue crystal as a prize."

Lamia's ear's pricked up. "Really? How interesting. Tell me more."

"I have to go the bell for the school bus just sounded. See you tomorrow."

Lamia picked up her phone as soon as she was out of sight. "We may have found the talisman, only problem, Stone has it. Yes I am working on getting the name of the uncle. I should be done in a few days."

Two days later the family tree reports were ready. Miss Farber called Emma to go first and listened with great interest as she rattled off the names of her family.

She feigned interest as the other children presented their family trees. She was never so grateful to hear the bell signaling the end of the day. She called Dulaque as soon as the class was emptied.

"The girl has two granduncles on the mother's side, none on the father's. Yes I am sure, she only mentioned a paternal grandaunt. Ok we can start with the grandfather, and find his birth record, yes I'll get it. The girl? Yes she is one too. IQ of 195 according to her school records."

By the time she left for the day she needed a drink. She was never exhausted after any of her fights but these children were positively draining the life from her.

"Hey, were is the nearest place I can get a drink?" She asked the third grade teacher as she passed him in the hall.

"Well there's Duke's 5 miles down the road, it's a nice place but the closest is Curley's which is three blocks west of here." He pointed in that direction.

"Duke's huh?" Lamia remembered the place well. "I think I'll go there."

She arrived a little after 4 p.m. The place was nearly empty except for a couple in one booth and a few old cowboys sitting at the bar. In a booth near the back the bartender was arguing with a customer.

"Jed, I think you had enough, I'm gonna call Billy."

"No don't call him." The old man stammered. "I can drive myself home, besides I need one more round." He remained seated and would not budge.

"Fine. I'm bringing you some coffee." The man stormed off.

Lamia still in her Miss Farber disguise approached the man. "Need a drink?"

He looked up at her and smirked. She smiled and handed him a glass, sat down with a bottle of whiskey and poured him a shot.

"Wilma Farber."

"Jed Stone, pleased to meet you." He gulped the shot down and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"I don't believe I've ever met you, I'd remember a pretty thing like you."

"I'm new in town, I'm the substitute teacher for the third grade class at the school. I believe I heard your name earlier in my class, do you have a granddaughter named Emma?"

"Oh God what has she done?" He asked with trepidation.

"Nothing, she is a bright and lovely girl, very smart too."

"Yeah, too smart for her own good, just like her uncle and my…" he stopped and took another shot.

"Just like who?" Lamia pressed for an answer.

"Nobody."

"Jed something is obviously bothering you, maybe I can help." She reached over and took his hand. "Sometimes it's easier to tell things to a perfect stranger than your friends or family." He looked at her face, she seemed so sympathetic, it was a face you could trust with anything.

"My son Billy and his wife came over the other night with news about my granddaughter. She is the only one of my grandchildren who cares enough about me to come and talk to me. The rest just come and go, barely speaking to me." He took another shot.

"I guess I deserve it, I wasn't much of a father and even worse as a grandfather, but it didn't matter to her, she liked being around her pop-pop. Now I find out that she has a genius IQ and her parents want her to go to a special school. They wanted to borrow the last thousand dollars they need to pay for the tuition."

"Well what's wrong with that? She is gifted she should have every opportunity to grow and learn. Why she could become the one who cures cancer, or ends poverty, the possibilities are endless."

"Or she can go the other way…like Roy, he…"Jed stopped talking and got up. He promptly fell flat on his face and passed out.

"Molly, call Billy Stone, tell him his dad is here and needs a ride home." The bartender shouted.

Lamia picked up her phone. "I have the name of the uncle. His name is Roy Stone. Now get me out of this body."


	16. Chapter 16

Jake was worried. Although Jenkins assured him that all was fine he had an uneasy feeling he couldn't shake. He had trouble sleeping, the words the knight said to him kept playing in his mind. "Power within one." What did it mean? He had read of other families with multiple geniuses what made his family special? Did Jenkins really think that his family could be descendants of a legendary king? And what did it mean for them if they were? Were they destined to the same fate as Armineous's children?

Jake came to the library very early one morning and found Jenkins in the back working on yet another artifact. "Jenkins we need to talk."

"I was wondering when you would ask Mr. Stone." He put away the tools and sat down, motioning him to sit as well. "I need to ask you a question before I can answer any of yours." Jenkins began.

"Fair enough." Jake replied.

"What did this knight look like?"

"He was old, but not frail, he looked strong and fit. His costume looked like an authentic suit of armor from the 1500's. The breastplate had the words he said to me, _R__í__ce Withinnan __Á__dloma _ in a circle and three crowns in the middle. I've never seen that insignia anywhere."

"Very few have. The man is a keeper, a descendant from the kingdom of Caerwenth sworn to keep the crystal safe from the descendants of Aerowyn." He took out another book similar to the first one he read them a few days earlier.

"This is the diary of Eurig, once an official in Aerowyn's court. He was her most trusted advisor and was loyal to the end. In it he details how he found the crystal before her death and showed it to her, hoping it would restore the now dying kingdom to it's former glory.

"So long as the three remained separated the power of the crystal was useless. Her brothers were dead and she hated the power that led to their destruction. She had no use or desire for it and begged him to throw it back in the sea.

"When she died, Merlin visited Eurig and appointed him and his descendants to be the keepers of the crystal. He told him that one day a trio of descendants from the line of Aerowyn gifted in a unique way would come forward, the power of the crystal would reawaken and the fate of the world would be in the balance.

"Because she could not choose a side, one would be like her brother Cadfael, the other like her brother Brynmore and the third like her. The crystal would find it's way to one of the descendants. Only a descendant can wield it's power and only a descendant can destroy it. Whoever possesses it has the power to control the world so he had to entrust it to…"

"Someone who would do the right thing." Jake finished the sentence. Jenkins nodded.

"Until now Mr. Stone, the keepers have done an excellent job at keeping it hidden and there have not been three gifted descendants alive at any one time. Now it seems what Merlin foretold centuries ago is coming to pass and with the return of magic, things are waking up that were best left asleep. The knight who gave you this knew who you were and what you do, he knew to give it to you."

"But how? I've never seen him before in my life, and it was a coincidence that we met."

"Coincidence? No Mr. Stone. It is the keeper's job to keep tabs on all the descendants, they must have known about you since you were very young. Same with your uncle and Emma."

"Jenkins, I have the crystal I can destroy it, I can take away the power." Jake realized.

"If it were only that simple. All three must be connected for the crystal to work for good or evil and all three must be together to see it crushed. So long as your paths never cross the crystal will remain powerless. Only you have knowledge of the other two."

"And I will never tell." Jake said. "Still something is not quite right."

He got up and walked to the door. "I have to find this guy, I need to talk to him."

"Mr. Stone, we have more urgent business, the clippings book is open." Jenkins noticed as they walked into the main room. "Ah strange happenings in a little town called Bremen. Oh joy…" He started to call the others then turned to Jake.

"You were wise to keep this to yourself and not tell the others. The less people that know about this the better."

Once in Bremen, Cassandra noticed Jake was avoiding her making her feel uncomfortable. Col. Baird assigned them to work together and she tried to get out of it but the guardian insisted.

"Thanks, I didn't think you would want to work with me again after…"

"I told you Cassie, I like you, I just don't trust you." Jake responded with a big smile. Keep her at a distance he thought to himself, you can not let her in any more than she is already for her sake.

She asked him what she needed to do to regain his trust, and he simply replied "I'm cool with it, I like it just fine the way it is." She noticed his smile looked a bit too smug and she got the distinct feeling that he was hiding something from her. Before she could ask him anymore, Sheriff Haier appeared and they resumed their investigation although the mayor's morning jog gave them an unexpected shock.

On the way back to meet Baird and Ezekiel, she noticed he was unusually quiet. How could he be so casual with her after baring his soul to her about his mother the other night, after he told her he was glad she was in his life? She felt a spark, a real connection to him, and she knew he felt the same for her. Something wasn't adding up.

They discovered the Libris Fabula was the cause of the anomalies and that Mr. McGuire the elderly town librarian had been using it for his own gain at the expense of little Jamie Haier the sheriff's daughter. His reading the book to her was draining the young girls life and making fairy tales come to life. As Col. Baird put it, fairy tales were becoming weaponized putting the town in grave danger. The team was now in peril of becoming part of the twisted story, but once again Ezekiel managed to save the day, a fact Baird and Jake found very annoying.

Back at the annex, Baird went to let out some steam on the heavy bag with Jake right behind her. Ezekiel regaled Cassandra with his self congratulatory praise before leaving her alone. She smiled as she opened her hand to reveal a wisp of magic she kept and placed it in a tiny box. She went to her favorite spot in the annex and hid it for safekeeping.

As Cassandra walked out to leave she caught a glimpse of Jake working out with Col. Baird. She was teaching him some moves and he seemed to be catching on quickly. Cassandra couldn't help but notice his well-muscled chest and arms glistening with sweat showing through the tight fitting tank tee shirt he was wearing. He smiled at her from across the room and waved making her blush. She continued to walk out but he ran over to her.

"Hey no hard feelings right?" he asked slightly out of breath.

"No, of course not, but I need to know if you are hiding something from me."

"No, Cassie I am not." He lied. She noticed that same smug smile again.


	17. Chapter 17

**I just want to say, I am honored by all the kind reviews, favorites and follows. I am having as much fun writing this as you are reading. enjoy..**

"Ok Mr. Smythe if you just sign here to approve the designs we can get started right away." Susan Harper looked like the picture of professionalism in a light gray tailored pant suit and black high heeled pumps.

"Harrison, please." Dulaque replied with a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Ok, Harrison." She agreed. "Hello Tania." She waved to his assistant as she entered and left to make some phone calls.

The exotic beauty sneered at Susan as she walked out the door. "Really Dulaque why did you hire her? We have no more use for her. You should have let me kill her when I had the chance."

"My dear Lamia settle down. If I didn't know you better I'd think you were jealous." He gave her a peck on her cheek. "Besides we have just rung in a New Year, and I say out with the old and in with the new."

"What does that mean? You wanted to kill the librarians to force Flynn Carsen to look for the loom of fate, then you changed that plan when you found out about Jacob Stone and his family of geniuses. Now what? I thought you wanted to get the loom and go back to the time of Camelot when you were at your strongest."

"I've been thinking. I've been too nostalgic in pining for the past. People here smell better, the food is so much tastier than gamey venison or mutton and I like electricity, the lights and all the gadgets and gizmos at my disposal…"

"Yet you desire a crystal, with ancient powers."

"With that crystal, I can rule not just Camelot, but the world. Now wouldn't that be more fun?"

"Looks like someone wants it both ways. There are some problems with this new plan. Shall I list them for you?" She began. "One, Jake Stone has it and he will never give it to you. Two, you need to have the other two with you for the power to be fully realized, and three, we have yet to find the uncle."

"All valid points my dear, but when I have the uncle I can place him under my spell carry out my plans through him." He turned away from her and looked out the balcony. "Your first trip was less than successful in retrieving the information we needed. There is no record of Jed or Roy Stone born in Oklahoma, so we need to find out where they came from. And you are wrong about Mr. Stone. He will give me the crystal when he sees the lovely Susan and his niece by my side."

"Now this is getting interesting…" Lamia was beginning to like the new plan.

"I will need for Miss Farber to make another appearance."

"Oh no! I am not going back to that school with those wretched children." She yelled in protest.

"No, no, no. We already know the niece is a genius, what I need you to do is get close to Jed Stone, befriend him, make him fall hopelessly in love with you and tell you where this brother is."

Lamia groaned as she felt her body change again. "You could have at least waited until I got to that backwater hellhole to transform me." She complained as she walked out the door.

She found him exactly where she thought he would be. "How about a drink cowboy?" She had another bottle of whiskey in her hand. Jed looked up, tipped his hat and motioned for her to sit.

"I thought you left. Emma told me her teacher came back and I assumed you'd be gone by now."

"Principal Walton says he might need me again real soon. Besides I like it here, and I like the company so I might just stick around." She took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. She poured him a drink then another until…

Jed was too drunk to drive, Miss Farber helped him to his truck.

"Hey you are pretty strong for a little lady."

"Oh I'm a lot tougher than I look. Why don't I drive you home?"

"I'd like that…" He drifted off into an alcohol-induced sleep, loud grunts and rumbles replaced any more words.

Miss Farber got him back home and dropped him on the sofa. "I'll make you some coffee."

"No coffee, come here." He pulled her onto his lap and tried to kiss her. She squirmed free from his arms, got up quickly and straightened her blouse.

"Jed, you are very drunk."

"That's ok you can take advantage of me." He joked.

"No, I want you to be sober when we kiss, so you don't forget it." she gave him a quick tap on his nose and went to the kitchen to start the pot of coffee. She heard the door open. In walked Libby, Amy and Emma with groceries.

"Miss Farber, what are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"Oh, I ah, was at Dukes and your father and I… well we had met before… anyway he was in no shape to drive home, so I gave him a lift." She stammered out an explanation.

"So you must be the pretty woman with big blue eyes he met the other day." Libby was all smiles at seeing this mystery woman her dad went on about.

"Yes, I'm Wilma Farber, I was Emma's substitute teacher for a few days last week. How is Miss D'Angelo?"

"She's feeling much better, thanks." Emma said.

"Well I was just going to make him some coffee, but now that you three are here I'm sure he's in much more capable hands."

"Nonsense." Amy interjected. "Make yourself at home, sit down and take a load off."

"We're making Grandpa's favorite, chili with extra beans and lots of cheese."

"Stay for dinner, Dad will be somewhat awake in an half hour or so, he'll be happy you stayed." Libby invited her to sit down with them.

"Well all right then." Miss Farber sat down at the table, her eyes twinkling with delight.

"I hope he wasn't too much for you, he really is a good man, he's been trying to be better since my brother Jake left for his new job, but he has his days."

"Yes I can tell he is, he was in the truck going on about a man named Roy, he seemed to care about him quite a bit." She threw out the line hoping for a bite.

"Roy, Roy who?" The women asked each other then Libby nodded.

Do you mean Theo Royster? That's the only Roy we know. He was a drinking buddy of dad's but he died a few years ago."

"Maybe that's the one." Miss Farber said her tone sounded disappointed. This was not going to be easy.

A half hour later Jed was awake feeling like his head was about to explode. He slowly got up with his eyes still closed. "Dad look who's here." Libby said.

He put his hand to his forehead rubbed it to help ease the pain, cocked one eye open and smiled.

"Hello Wilma."

"Hello Jed."

"You owe me a kiss."

"Yes, I think I do." She replied with a wicked grin.


	18. Chapter 18

The clipping book was strangely quiet. It had been three days since their last mission and boredom was beginning to settle in among the team who were becoming more accustomed to the dangers of their new job.

Ezekiel was easily picking every lock he could find, much to Jenkins annoyance, although Harry Houdini's straightjacket did keep him out of his hair for almost two hours.

Cassandra was writing in her little book again, trying not to talk out loud so Jake couldn't pay attention.

Col. Baird was reading up on magical monsters and weapons, trying to get prepared for the next adventure and keep her L.I.T.'s alive.

Jake was uneasy. Cassandra looked up from her writing and watched as he paced the floor. "Are you all right, you don't look so great."

"I'm fine Cassie, I just…"

He needed to find that knight. Lack of sleep was making him desperate. He went to the back room, where Jenkins was tinkering again. "Jenkins, I need to go home."

"For what reason may I ask Mr. Stone." He replied. His head popped from under Poseidon's chariot. Jake gave him a curious look.

"You never know when we might have need of a water rescue." He explained. Noting the serious look on his Jake's face, he put down his wrench and got up.

"I can assure you that the crystal is safe here, so long as your niece and uncle do not meet it's power is useless, please trust me on that."

"It's just that I keep getting these nightmares and they feel real, they feel like a warning."

"Huh…Tell me about them."

"It's all the same dream. I am walking down a corridor into a large empty room. I'm alone but someone is in the room attacking me. I try to fight back but I can't see who or where this person is. Finally I feel a burning in my heart and I notice a bloody sword in my chest and fall to my knees." Jake shuddered as he recounted the dream.

Jenkins was rubbing his chin, his face twisted in deep thought. "I think you are right, let's go."

"Wait, you are coming with me?"

"Of course, I'd like to meet this knight."

They got to where Jake left his truck in Tulsa and drove thirty minutes to the art gallery. A petite older woman welcomed them in. Jake remembered her from his visit with Emma. Some of the Arthurian canvases remained but the new exhibit that was in the process of being set up for display had replaced most of the others.

"Hello ma'am, I was here about a month ago with my niece and there was a storyteller here, dressed as a knight. I didn't get his name and I'd like to talk with him again, my niece is doing a book report on King Arthur and she was hoping to get him to come a speak to the class."

"No need for tall tales Mr. Stone I know why you are here." The knight now dressed in street clothes appeared from the other room. Tall and elegant with a short white goatee, he walked up to the men.

Jake gave him a firm handshake. "So you do know me. I am so glad to see you again sir. This is my colleague Mr. Jenkins."

The knight raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his companion. "My name is Thomas Wynn, the last descendant of Eurig the Loyal."

He showed them to the back room where the performance took place now back in its regular role as a café for the patrons. He poured them each a cup and brought it to them. Jake had so many questions he hardly knew where to start.

"How long have you known about me?" Jake asked.

"Oh for quite awhile, since my father entrusted the responsibility for the crystal's care to me twenty or so years ago."

"So you know about my uncle Roy and my niece Emma?"

"Yes I do.

"Then you know about the prophecy Merlin told to Eurig." Jenkins added.

"When Emma was tested, I knew it was almost complete but since Roy is incarcerated and no one in the family but Jed knew about him, I felt the crystal was still safe. Lately it had been stirring in the box where I kept it and I knew magic had been released back into the world. After I am gone there will be no others, that is why I gave Mr. Stone the crystal, it will be safe at the annex."

"So you know about the Library and what we do." Jake said.

"Of course, all of the keepers know." He gave Jenkins a long look. "It's nice to meet an old family friend." Jenkins nodded but said nothing.

"So I'm guessing you knew about my gift to Emma and set up that exhibition to get us to come here and give me the crystal. That was kind of elaborate, why didn't you just come to me?" Jake asked.

"Would you have believed me Jacob Stone? That is not your real family name by the way. When your grandmother remarried, her children were adopted by her husband, your adopted grandfather, William Stone. Your blood grandfather's name was Ian Reinhallt old Welsh for gracious and wise ruler. "

"Then I really am a descendant of King Armineous and his daughter?" Jake raked his fingers through his hair, shaking his head in stunned amazement. "That is the most incredible thing I have ever heard."

Thomas took a sip of his coffee and leaned back in the chair. "You look very much like your uncle when he was your age."

"So I have been told. So how does this work, does Emma have someone watching out for her? Does Roy?"

"Not anymore, my part is complete I have given you the crystal, now you must protect it at all costs. Beware of the stranger among you, that person is not who he or she seems. Now that magic is back, anyone with the knowledge of the legend or your family can try to possess the power for themselves." Thomas warned him.

"But that's impossible, it's an obscure legend and no one but me and Jenkins knows the complete story and neither of us are telling." Jake argued.

"Nothing is impossible so long as the crystal exists and evil exists." He said. "My work is done. Godspeed gentleman." He left them to tend to a customer.

"Well that went as well as expected." Jenkins pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his brow.

"What are you talking about? There is still a chance that someone could try to get a hold of this magic. I don't want my niece in danger." Jake walked over to Thomas.

"All right he's agreed to watch out for her and call me with anything unusual."

As they headed for the truck Jake's brother called him. "Yeah sure anything for her. By the way I'm here on business and I was going to swing by and visit for a bit. Ok, be there in an hour."

He drove Jenkins back to the door then drove to his brother's house. On the way he decided to stop at his father's house. He opened the door and called out. No answer. He looked in the den, empty. Where would he be this time of day he wondered.

He arrived at Billy's shortly afterwards. "Thanks so much for this Jake." He folded the check and put it in his pocket. "I asked Dad for help but he flatly refused, can you believe him not wanting to help his own granddaughter?"

"Wait, so he knows about Emma?"

"Well he knew she was smart but when we told him her IQ scores and that she was accepted to the Brighton Academy he nearly flipped his lid, said none of his grandchildren were going to be used as lab rats if he could help it. Of course he was so slobbering drunk we just let him be. I never brought it up again."

"Where is he now, I stopped at the house and he wasn't there." Jake looked worried.

"I guess you haven't heard," Billy smiled. "Dad's got himself a girlfriend."


	19. Chapter 19

"When did this happen?" Jake asked, feeling a shiver go up his spine.

"Oh I'd say going on two weeks now. He's happier than I've ever seen him and he even cut back on his drinking for her." Billy replied. "You're gonna like her, she already feels like part of the family."

"Where is the happy couple so I can meet her?" Thomas's warning played in his head.

"Probably at Duke's with Josh and his new girlfriend. You remember Shannon, from church?"

"Really? Shannon?" Jake asked temporarily distracted by the news that Josh would think of her in a romantic way. They grew up together and he always called her his second sister. Never in a million years would he have put those two together. "Well I'm happy for them, I hope it works out. Now l really have to stop by before I leave tonight. So where are the kids?" He asked mostly wondering about Emma.

"Shane and Travis are at karate with Amy, Libby and her boys, and Emma is at the library with her friend Julie. She should be home any minute if you stick around." He got Jake a beer and they sat outside on the porch of his house.

"So what do you know about this Wilma chick Dad is dating?" Jake tried to be nonchalant.

"Not too much, she's from Kansas, moved here two years ago and has been teaching at Emma's school for a few weeks now. She was Emma's substitute teacher for a week after Christmas vacation."

Jake leapt out of his chair and paced around the porch. "Emma's teacher? Does she know about her being a genius?" he yelled.

"Whoa! hold on brother, why are you so upset? Of course she knows; she was her teacher. What's the matter with you?"

"I don't know, all this traveling I've been doing lately, I guess I'm a bit on edge." He sat back down and drank the rest of his beer in one long gulp and breathed deeply to calm down, but he could feel his heart beating out of his chest.

Emma was coming up the walk with her friend. "Hi Uncle Jake." Emma hugged him and introduced him to her friend. "Dad can Julie stay for dinner?"

"Sure. Want to stay?" Billy asked his brother.

"Nah… I'm gonna stop at Duke's and see Dad before I leave. I'll talk to you soon. Bye monkey." He picked up his niece and gave a bear hug. "You be careful sweetheart, I love you." He whispered in her ear.

"I love you too." she said before skipping inside with her friend.

* * *

"Right where Billy said I would find you." Jake walked up to his brother Josh and gave him a handshake and a pat on the back. It was 5:00 on Friday evening and people were crowding in to the country bar and grill to start the weekend early. Josh took him back to Jed's usual booth.

"Hey Shannon, so nice to see you again." He gave the pretty brunette a hug.

"You too Jake, I heard your new job is going well." She said. Jed huffed and mumbled under his breath.

He turned to his father. "Hi Dad." He merely lifted his beer bottle to him and nodded. No one else was with them and Jake looked around to see if he could spot this stranger that had come into their midst.

Jed got up quickly as she made her way to the booth. "Sorry, the line for the ladies room was a little long."

"That's ok darlin'." Jed kissed her on the cheek and made way for her to scoot in the booth, then sat back down.

"Oh, Wilma. This is my son Jake." He kept his head down as he made the introduction. Jake smirked at his obvious snub.

"Hello there, Wilma Farber. My you are just as handsome as your father." She gushed. Jake shook her hand and stared at her. She looked harmless, unassuming with a kind face and big blue eyes, like anyone else in his little town. He smiled back and let go of her hand.

"Nice to meet you Miss Farber. Jacob Stone. I've heard some good things about you."

"So why are you here boy, I thought your 'job' was so important." Jed interrupted.

"I was in the neighborhood on a consult. Saw Billy, he told me about Emma's being accepted to Brighton and I offered to help with the tuition."

Jed twisted his mouth in anger, but kept still. He took a sip of his beer. "You would do that," he mumbled under his breath.

"Yeah isn't that great, our little Emma a genius." Josh said. Shannon looked impressed. "Amy said she has an IQ of 200 or something, that's like super smart. Who would have thought in our family, huh?" he laughed.

"Yeah who would have…" Jake responded with a fake laugh.

"Well I think Brighton will be a wonderful place for her, from the little while I was her teacher, I found her to be such a lovely, intelligent and humble girl." Wilma replied.

"What was that you said at the end? With all the noise in here I didn't catch it." Jake asked.

"I said she is such a lovely, intelligent and humble girl."

"Yeah she is, she is special, I call her my little monkey on account of her always wanting to climb trees when she was a toddler." He looked at his watch. "Well I have to go, my flight leaves in two hours. Miss Farber, so nice to meet you." He took her hand again and kissed it.

"Wilma, please."

"Wilma." He corrected. He hugged his brother and Shannon and offered his hand to his father. "Bye Dad." His father gave him a tip of his hat and stared straight ahead.

On his way out he took out his cell phone and dialed. "Thomas, I need to talk to you now, are you at the gallery? Good. I'll be there in a half hour."

He drove as fast as he could and barely put the truck into park before jumping out and running toward the door. Thomas ushered him in, turned the open sign to closed and locked the door.

"What's wrong Jacob?"

"My Dad's new girlfriend." He spat out trying to catch his breath. "Something's not right about her."

Thomas led him to the back room "Ok, just relax." Jake sat down gathering his thoughts before he continued.

"My father has been seeing this woman recently, Wilma Farber, who is new to the town. She was a substitute teacher in my niece's class, she knows about Emma."

"Anything more you can add to substantiate your suspicions?" he asked.

"It's her accent. She's supposedly from Kansas, but the accent's not right. I could have sworn I heard a trace of a foreign accent, English or South African, I'm not quite sure."

"Her accent?" Thomas gave him a curious look.

He got up and walked around tugging at his hair. "I don't know, it was loud at Duke's, I mean she looks all right, maybe I'm jumping to crazy conclusions."

Jake's phone rang. "Mr. Stone another mission awaits." Jenkins informed him.

"Thomas I have to go but will you watch this lady for me? Try to get whatever information you can about her and call me if you find anything."

"Of course but if I may, your new friends can be of great help as well, you really should trust them, Jacob."

He remembered Jenkins admonishment against involving them. Ezekiel? He was a thief; he'd probably want to take the crystal for himself if it meant having power. Baird? Yeah maybe but she was still trying to wrap her head around this whole magic business. It would have to take a lot for her to believe that he was a descendant of an ancient king.

And Cassandra? He wanted to trust her more than anything but something kept holding him back. He liked her maybe even more than liked her that's why her betrayal hurt so much. His heart said one thing, his mind the other and the two were still far apart from resolving the issue.

"Please, just call me if there is anything unusual." Jake pleaded.

"You have my word." The old knight replied.


	20. Chapter 20

Jed threw his hat on the sofa as he came into the house. "What's wrong honey?" Wilma asked.

"I can't believe Jake, why would he want Emma to go to a school like that? He always thinks he's so smart and better than me."

"I don't understand why wouldn't you want your granddaughter to go to a school where she will be challenged, where she can reach her highest potential."

"I don't want to talk about it, I need a drink." He went to the den and got a bottle from behind the bar.

"You don't need that. Come here." She sat him down and massaged his shoulders. He closed his eyes and leaned back enjoying the touch of her hands expertly kneading his stiff muscles. Before she knew it he was sound asleep.

"Jed? Honey?" She put a blanket over him and left for the motel where she was staying. Once in her room, she made a phone call.

"Yes, I have tried to get him to talk when he was drunk and now sober. I'm close, just give me another day or two, if not then yes, come down but we have another problem. Jake Stone came by to visit his father and gave me the once over; he looked suspicious. Well I hope you took care of my backstory, these yokels are quite trusting, but Jake is just a bit smarter than the average country bumpkin. Yes I will call with any developments." Lamia hung up, and got ready for bed. "Tomorrow no more miss nice Wilma."

Thomas texted a message to Jake from his car outside her motel. _Nothing unusual, her background checks out. Will continue keep to a watch over her. _

Jake felt a little more at ease but not entirely sure. He was glad to have Thomas helping him so he could focus on the current mission they were on, finding out about possible UFO's in the small town of Collins Falls. After the last two quite harrowing missions, this one seemed pretty tame and he felt an instant kinship with the town's pretty archivist/notary/fire chief/treasurer etc. much to Cassandra's dismay. She felt a twinge of jealousy watching Mabel Collins flirt with Jake and the two practice their French.

When they came back to the annex with Victor Finch's equipment, Cassie suggested someone should to go back to talk to her about the gas lamps. Jake quickly volunteered although Cassandra said she could go or even Ezekiel. She watched as he left trying to stay calm but inside she seethed at the thought of the two of them together. She smiled too much at him, and the way she tilted her head just so made her sick.

"You seem quite taken with her." Cassandra observed after he brought her to the gas lamp in the woods that she, Jenkins and Ezekiel were investigating, the one that took Col. Baird.

"What are you talking about? She's a nice person, stuck here for whatever reason and she's never left this town. I know what that feels like to want to leave home but you can't."

"Are you sure that's it? I mean you ask her to trust you fully expecting it and when I ask you to trust me you can't give me that."

"Cassie, this is different…"

"Oh, how so? Never mind don't tell me, let's just get through this."

They met again in the annex. Jenkins was explaining where Baird was while making adjustments to Finch's equipment. Jake noticed Cassandra with her little book, taking copious notes, all business. She didn't even seem to mind when he said he was going back to the archives.

The team discovered the real reason for the strange lights and Col. Baird's disappearance. Ezekiel was horrified the 87 souls in limbo could take over people's bodies at will and argued against it. "It's not right they are body snatchers."

Cassandra was unsure any plan to help would work, but Jenkins reminded them that regardless of how they felt, they needed to try in order to rescue Col. Baird from their same fate.

Jake wanted to do the right thing by them and Cassandra offered her expertise in math and science to help them and get Col. Baird back. He gave her a look that told her everything she needed to know; he was beginning to trust her. She set aside her feelings of jealousy for Mabel and formulated the plan.

Mabel and Jake went back the to the archives to get the coils needed and she called him out for not following his dreams. It was similar to what Cassandra had told him and he felt ashamed, after all he could have left once his siblings were old enough to take care of themselves, but he convinced himself that he couldn't. He saw in her eyes all she was forced to give up, travel, adventure, romance, marriage, children, growing old with the one she loved.

He felt sad that they both missed out on the joy of living life but he still had the chance, she had a 50-50 chance at best. The kiss they shared was unexpected and bittersweet especially when the plan started taking a turn for the worst threatening the lives of hundreds.

They both knew the right thing to do and as Jake carried Mabel to the relay switch on the roof, they knew it was these would be her last moments. They recalled memories of imaginary trips making the pain of the electrical charges searing her body more bearable.

"Adieu Monsieur" she smiled and pulled the switch to stop the power but not before they were successful in bringing back Col. Baird. Jake held her close as he felt the warmth of her body cool and become limp in his arms.

"Au revoir, ma' am," he whispered in her ear, tears welling in his eyes.

Once they got back to the annex, Baird consoled Ezekiel and Cassandra as best she could. Jake meanwhile, ignored everyone and set the back door for Paris. He looked out, over the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower describing the lights, the sounds and the smells to Mabel. "You'd love it here sweetheart, that little café you told me about served the best crème brûlée."

She had given up so much and now she was gone. He thought about the past few months and realized he couldn't, no he wouldn't throw his chance at happiness away, he needed to start living.

When he came back, he went to find her. She was in the corner of her favorite spot in the annex.

"Cassie!" He called out loudly. She looked up from writing in her little book and gave him a guilty look when he found her. She braced herself, waiting for him to give her the same lecture as Ezekiel did, about giving up too soon.

Jake pulled her to her feet and took her in his arms. He looked into her eyes and kissed her, gently at first then with a deepening passion. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss, enjoying the strength of his tightening embrace. They parted and he smiled at her, it was that smile that made his eyes crinkle that Emma had told her about.

"I'm tired of living on the sidelines Cassie. I don't know what the future holds for us, but I find myself falling in love with you and I don't want to waste anymore time looking for excuses not to."

She buried her face in his chest and held him close. "I don't know what to say."

"Say you feel the same, that we have a chance."

"I do Jake, we do." He kissed her again then stopped and looked away.

"What's wrong?" She asked seeing the worried look on his face as she turned it back towards her. "Hey I'm not going anywhere, my brain grape hasn't progressed in ten years, I'm sure it won't get bigger anytime soon."

"It's not that Cassie, I need to tell you something about my family."


	21. Chapter 21

Cassandra sat dumbfounded by Jake's news about his family and his suspicions about Wilma. "Jenkins thought it best not to involve you and the others, but my dreams are getting worse." He finished.

"You need to tell Col. Baird and Ezekiel. She can use her contacts to watch your uncle and he can hack any website." She suggested. "You need to make sure she is safe. It's Emma we are talking about." In the short time she knew her, Cassandra had grown quite fond of the little girl.

An hour later Ezekiel gave him somewhat comforting news. "Yeah I'm not getting any thing from my sources about Wilma Farber, she is who she says she is mate."

"And your uncle Roy Lee Reinhallt is safely tucked away in maximum security at Three Lakes Prison for the criminally insane." Baird reported from her law enforcement friends. "An old army buddy of mine is the director and he promised to keep me informed of anything out of the ordinary."

"But that doesn't mean we should let it go." Col. Baird added. "Stone if you feel something is wrong then go with your gut. Your man on the ground, Thomas, is he reliable?"

"Yes." Jake answered.

"Ok, then we will await his word."

"So Jacob Stone is a prince? Should I call you your highness now?" Ezekiel joked as he bowed to him.

"Cut it out." He growled and went upstairs. Cassandra followed.

"Hey don't let him upset you. You know he was only kidding." She sat next to him; he put his arm around her and kissed her cheek.

"I know. It's not Ezekiel, I just wish I could destroy that damned crystal and then none of this would matter."

"Well, the mathematical probability of Emma meeting Roy is nearly 0% unless you or your father tell her then it's more like 95%."

Jake sighed as he leaned his back and closed his eyes. "Cassie I don't need statistics, I just need a little faith."

"Faith." She repeated in a low voice.

"Jake?"

"Yeah darlin'."  
"You really meant what you said about falling in love with me?"

"I wouldn't have said it otherwise." He opened his eyes and straightened up.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just that anytime any one has shown an interest me, when they find out about my…" she pointed to her head, "and then when they see or hear me hallucinate they kind of get turned off."

"Well, I already knew about that." He said with a chuckle.

"And let's not forget, being Librarians isn't the safest career choice."

"We'll face those dangers together."

"And then there was Mabel Collins…"

"She's gone Cassie. Why are you bringing her up?" He was starting to get annoyed.

"Well, you seemed to really like her, I don't want to be a rebound…"

"It wasn't like that with her." Jake interrupted. "I felt bad for her, she had all these plans and never got to fulfill any of them. She made me realize that I don't want to let life pass me by when I can do something about it."

Cassandra was quiet for a minute. "It's just that my brain is processing the mathematical chances that this relationship will last and I have to say the odds are not in our favor."

He pulled her close to him. "You need to stop thinking with your head and let your heart decide. Nothing is promised in life sweetheart, but I know I want to give us a shot. We can take it slow if you want, I've got nothing but time. I just didn't want to leave anything unsaid." He reassured her.

"Ok. I'll try." She snuggled closer to him. "Does that mean you trust me now?"

He gave her a peck on her lips. "With my life."

She put her head on his shoulder and willed her brain to rest for the moment and they enjoyed the warmth of being in each other's arms. Jake closed his eyes and for the first time in weeks he fell into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Wilma was getting impatient. She could not take one more day playing an overweight sweetheart to a drunken cowboy. She waited for him to come home from the oilrig where he went back to after Jake left. She had his favorite meal and his favorite drink, a bottle of Jack Daniels ready.

"What is this?" he asked when he came home. "Candles, soft music, the good china. What's the occasion?"

"Well this has been the best two weeks of my life and I just wanted to do something special for you." She gave him a kiss; he pulled her to him.

"Why don't we skip the meal and head to the bedroom instead." He started to kiss her neck.

"All in good time, I spent all day shopping and putting this meal together for you, come on, I want you to see what a good cook I am."

He sat down to eat. "Mmm, this is the best chili I have ever had." He took a sip of the whiskey. As he reached for his spoon again he felt light headed, the room started to spin. Wilma took the bowl away just in time as his head fell forward and hit the table.

"Ah good, Lamia well done." Dulaque came out of the bedroom with Paolo one of Lamia's assassins. "Let's get him to the sofa. He woke him up with a hard slap on the cheek.

"Mr. Stone, so nice to meet you."

"Wh..What's happening?" He was very groggy and unable to keep his eyes open.

"I need some information from you. Your brother, what is his name?"

"Roy."

"Roy what, and where is he?" Jed laughed hysterically then frowned as a memory came out. "Just what do you think you are doin' Roy? There's blood all over you… Oh my God! You killed Baxter, what did he ever do to you? Oh no! You're not blaming this one on me, just because you are so smart and mom loves you more…"

"Where is he Jed, where is he so we can punish him for killing Baxter." Dulaque insisted.

"Baxter… here boy, come here. Yeah you're a good dog."

Jed what is your last name?" Dulaque changed direction.

"Stone."

"No your other last name?"

"Stoooone." He dragged it out then giggled.

Lamia shrugged and paced the floor. "This is getting us no where."

They all stared at Jed as he started to make buzzing sounds. "Lucy, mother says we have to leave Texas, we have to leave Bumblebee, no one can know we ever lived here, no one can ever know about Roy…" Jed fell back into a deep sleep and could not be awakened again.

"Hmm.. Texas, Bumblebee. Clean this up Lamia while I put him to bed, we don't want anyone to suspect you were here." Dulaque and Paolo dragged him to the bedroom, got the bottle of whiskey, emptied most of it out and placed it near him.

Once in the car she looked on her smart phone and found that Bumblebee, Texas was a small town close to the Oklahoma border. "It's a five hour drive." Lamia groaned.

"Fortunately this car can get us there in less than one hour." Dulaque grinned as he took out a key from his jacket pocket and handed it to Paolo as he pulled the car out of the driveway.

Soon they arrived in Bumblebee and went straight to the Hall of Records, looking for any information about Roy and Jed.

"He's in his 60's, killed the family dog, see if there are any crimes like that in the archives. Go back between 1955 to 1969." He instructed Lamia and Paolo.

After a few hours of looking she found it and showed him the clipping. _Boy, 15, kills 6 in a house fire._ _Family dog butchered._

Dualque quickly read the story from 1967 as a twisted smile formed on his face. "Reinhallt, Roy Lee Reinhallt." A few minutes later he found where Roy had been all these years.

"How convenient, let's take the helicopter this time." Dulaque looked ecstatic, like a child who got his favorite toy for Christmas.

They got to Three Lakes right after visitors hours. "Guess we will have to wait for tomorrow." Lamia scoffed.

"My dear, never doubt me." He waved his hand and the door opened the alarms remained silent. With another wave of his hand they walked in unnoticed by the guards and staff as they made there way to the maximum-security wing.

They walked down a long corridor and found him.

Dulaque opened the door and walked in. "Mr. Reinhallt, I presume? We have so much to discuss."


	22. Chapter 22

Roy did not respond, keeping his back to Dulaque and Lamia. Dulaque approached him with great caution.

"Did you hear me Mr. Reinhallt? We have much to discuss that will benefit the two of us."

Roy turned his head to look at them. "He looks like an older version of Jake Stone." Lamia whispered to Dulaque.

"Who are you?" Roy asked after a few minutes.

"That's not important, what's important is that I am here to get you out. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"Yes." He replied without emotion. He turned away from them again.

"Very well." Dulaque smiled. He turned to Paolo and with a flick of his wrist he changed the young assassin into a virtual twin of the imprisoned man. Paolo twisted in discomfort feeling his body change.

"You will stay here for the next 24 hours. That should give me enough time to put my plan into place." Dulaque gave him a key. After the facility closes tomorrow evening, this will open the door and you will be able to escape without anyone noticing you. Get a car and meet at the rendezvous point. The young man nodded and took Roy's place.

"Come on then, there are some people I think you will be very interested to meet."

They got back to the helicopter and boarded their guest first.

"What about Jed Stone? What if he wakes up and remembers?" Lamia asked.

"The potion I put in his whiskey should be powerful enough to wipe all memory of the incident from his mind, but just in case, Miss Farber needs to return and tie up those loose ends." Dulaque answered.

* * *

It was a little past 10 P.M. when Jake's cell phone woke him up from his nap. "Thomas, what's up?"

"Jacob, I was watching Miss Farber as you requested, she was not at work today instead she went out shopping. I left her when I heard about a disturbance at Emma's school and once I determined everything was all right and Emma was not in danger, I went back to following Miss Farber."

"Ok, so what's the problem?"

"Well she was at the grocery store and then arrived at your father's house. She went to the kitchen and was taking out groceries. I left to go back to the shop and take care of some matters and didn't get back to her until now."

"So again, what is the problem?" Jake was becoming impatient.

"The front door is wide open and she is not here. There doesn't seem to be any signs of struggle, and your father is lying on the bed. Seems he drank a bit too much whiskey." Thomas picked up the nearly empty bottle from the floor. "I'll try to find out more and call you back."

"Oh I guess I fell asleep too." Cassandra yawned. She looked at Jake's worried face. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, Thomas just called. Apparently Dad and Wilma were at home, but she's not there and he's passed out drunk. That's not unusual but…" He raked his fingers through his hair. "I don't know maybe she left him to sleep it off."

A few tense minutes passed. Jake was growing more concerned. He called Thomas.

"Jacob, your father is mumbling something about Roy and a dog named Baxter. What is it Jed? Wilma left with two men? Did you recognize them?" Jake could hear his father mumble and pressed the phone closer to try to hear what he was saying, but the beating of his heart seemed to deafen his ears. He felt his muscles tighten and his breath quicken.

"Jenkins!" He shouted. "Jenkins! I have to go home, something is wrong!"

He ran down the stairs as fast as he could and fumbled with the cables as he tried to attach them to the door.

Jenkins came running from the back room. Cassandra made her way down the stairs and helped him attach the cables. "I'm coming with you." She said. Jake nodded.

"Mr. Stone, what's the matter?"

* * *

Lamia dropped off Dulaque and Roy in front of Emma's house. "Now remember everything Lamia has told you about the girl." He placed a small disc behind his neck and changed Roy's appearance to look like his younger self.

Roy walked in and made his way up the stairs to her room. He opened the door to find the little girl with a flashlight, reading under the covers.

"Hi monkey."

"Uncle Jake? What are you doing here?"

Lamia made her way back to Jed's house, listening as someone was in the bedroom asking Jed questions. She quietly made her way to the door, her sword ready.

She aimed it for Thomas's back, but he turned in time to see her lunge at him and dove out of the way.

Thomas pulled out a Roman short sword from a leather sheath under his jacket and positioned himself to strike.

"I don't see many people with that type of weapon these days, who are you?" She asked.

"I am Thomas Wynn, descendant of Eurig the Loyal, Keeper of the Crystal of Armineous and you are an agent of evil."

Lamia scoffed at the man. "Why because I want to see magic released back into the world? Because I want to take full advantage of it?"

"Precisely. I know who you are under that disguise, you are Dulaque's assassin and I will not let you kill this man or harm his granddaughter."

"Oh you are too late Thomas Wynn. Soon you will be dead and we will be on our way to claim the power of the Crystal."

Lamia swung her sword at him and he deflected her advance. The sound of metal clashing continued as they moved their swords back and forth, expertly blocking each others moves. When Lamia fumbled her sword, Thomas lunged forward to strike, but she pinned his arm, regained control of her weapon, and ran him through. As she pulled it out, he fell to the floor mortally wounded. She started to move toward Jed to kill him, but heard sirens in the distance. She pressed the sword into Jed's hand and ran out the back to rejoin Dulaque.

He was waiting on the porch. Seconds later, Roy came out of the house with Emma and got in the car.

"Miss Farber? You know about the Library too?" She asked as they got in and sped away.

"Of course we work with Jake on very important missions. And we could use your help for this one sweetheart."

"Wow this is so exciting, I knew Uncle Jake worked somewhere special. Wait till Shane and Travis hear about this." She snuggled against her uncle and pulled his arm around her.

"Well for now it is our little secret all right young miss?" Dulaque stressed to her.

"Don't worry my lips are sealed." She crossed her heart, and made a locking motion on her lips. "Is Cassie going to be there too?"

Roy gave her a strange look. "Cassie?"

"Cassie you know…" She noticed the confused look on his face and realized something was terribly wrong.

As soon as she felt the car slow down she tried to open the door to escape but Roy gripped her arm, holding her back.

"You're not my uncle Jake. You are bad people and when my uncle finds out you are trying to hurt me you are going to get yours!" She threatened them.

"My dear, we wouldn't dream of hurting you, on the contrary, we need you and your uncle Jake alive. Dulaque gave her a twisted smile. "Emma, allow me to introduce you to your granduncle Roy Lee Reinhallt. He is a genius just like you and your uncle Jake.


	23. Chapter 23

By the time Jake and Cassandra arrived to his home, the police and EMT's they called were there. Jed was handcuffed and in the back seat of a squad car, while the paramedics worked furiously to save Thomas.

Jake ran past the policeman who tried to prevent him from going in. He knelt down by the old knight who looked pale, his eyes glazing over.

"Thomas, I'm here." Jake called to him. Thomas looked at him and motioned for him to take off the oxygen mask covering his face.

"Wilma…" He coughed.

"Shh. Don't talk, you're going to be ok." He held his hand as Thomas struggled to breathe.

"Assassin…" was his final word as he closed his eyes and took a last deep breath. The EMT's pulled Jake away, then lifted Thomas on the stretcher and covered his face.

"Loyal to the end, thank you. It won't be in vain." Jake pledged. He asked to see the weapon he was killed with. His eyes widened in horror as he recognized it then ran back to his truck.

"Emma!" He yelled to Cassandra. They drove off leaving an angry and confused Jed yelling for his son through the closed window of the car.

"What happened?" Cassandra asked as Jake took off to his brother's house.

"Thomas is dead."

Cassandra lowered her head. "I'm sorry Jake."

Before he died he said "Wilma" and "assassin." I saw the sword he was killed with. It's Lamia's katana."

"That means, Dulaque is behind this. But how did he know about your uncle or Emma?" She asked.

"Susan. She must have been working with him. I kind of told her about Roy and maybe mentioned Emma when I went to get my hat." A look of guilt flashed across his face.

"How did they enter the conversation?"

"She was feeling sorry for herself and I was trying to cheer her up. You know, a my life is worse than yours type of pep talk." He didn't say how Emma was involved.

"Uh huh." Cassandra replied flashing a jealous look at him.

"Nothing happened Cassie, ok. And we need to make sure Emma is safe. If he knew about Roy and me, he must have sent Lamia disguised as Wilma Farber to spy on her. I knew that accent was wrong." He recalled that night at Duke's when he first met her.

He picked up the phone and dialed. "Hi sugar, it's kind of early but it's nice to hear from you."

"Don't Susan, I know you are working for Dulaque. What else did you tell him?" He demanded.

"Jake who are you talking about? I don't know anyone by that name."

"Let me refresh your memory darlin'. Tall, thin, pale man, travels with a woman, exotic looking." He avoided the word beautiful in front of Cassandra.

"You mean Harrison Smythe and Tania? They are my clients. I'm in London remodeling his penthouse office. Jake what is going on? You wake me up at the crack of dawn to accuse me of working with someone I don't even know."

At that moment, he heard a loud noise and screaming on the other end. The phone went silent. "Susan... Susan!" he shouted.

Cassandra hung up her phone. "Col. Baird says her friend at Three Lakes prison checked on Roy, he is still in his cell hasn't moved since they last checked on him. They are keeping a round the clock watch on him."

Jake nodded silently, his brain scrambling to make sense of the events that were taking place. "I think they took Susan. What if that man in the prison isn't Roy? If Lamia could change her appearance, what's to stop Dulaque from putting an impostor in his place." He wondered.

"That's a lot of magic I didn't think he had." Cassandra noted. "He would have had to get past the guards and alarms without being detected."

"Yeah but remember when they broke in the library, they took a lot of artifacts, who knows what they have with them?" Cassandra swallowed hard trying to forget that it was because of her this was happening to begin with.

"And if they have Roy and they know about you and Emma…" Cassandra stopped and looked at Jake. His brows furrowed, anger flashed in his eyes, he stepped on the pedal to make the truck go even faster.

Billy and Amy's house was quiet, no one inside aware of what was happening. Jake banged on the door and yelled. Billy came to the door rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Jake what are you doing here? It's late." Jake blew past him and bolted up the stairs. "Emma?" he yelled as he threw open her door. She was gone. His body went numb.

"What is going on!" Amy was up now, Shane and Travis opened their door. "Mom?"

"Go back to bed." She told her boys. She ran to her daughter's room and screamed.

Cassandra gathered Billy and Amy downstairs to inform him. "Wilma Farber took her. Apparently for some reason, she wanted her, so she got close to your family and Jed and took her at the first opportunity." Better a half-truth she told herself.

The phone rang and Billy went to answer it. He grabbed Jake by his shirt and threw him up against the wall after he hung up. "You want to tell me what the hell is going on? I just got a call from Dad, he is in prison, they are saying he killed a man with a sword in a jealous rage over Wilma. Said you and Cassandra were at the scene and left him there."

Jake pushed his brother off of him. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

Jake told them everything about himself, the Library, Dulaque, Cassandra, Susan, and Roy.

"You're right I don't believe you. Where is my daughter?" He screamed and threw a punch at Jake. He blocked it and spun his brother around putting him in a choke hold.

"I don't care if you don't believe me, I am telling the truth." He let him go and motioned for Cassandra to join him as they left.

"Where are you going?" He demanded.

"To talk to Dad."

Amy called Libby who lived down the street, and gave her a quick synopsis. She left the boys with her and she and Billy followed Jake to the jailhouse.

"The weapon was found in his hand." The sergeant explained. "We have to hold him until we can figure out what really happened."

"Can I talk to him Sarge? Please." He pleaded.

"All right Jake, you have five minutes."

He took him to the interrogation room where Jed was now handcuffed to the table.

He was disheveled and partially sober, looking like he was going to pass out.

"Dad?"

"Jake," he said softly. "She's gone. I thought I had found the woman of my dreams and now she's gone. They're saying the guy I killed must have been a jealous boyfriend who came into the house. They say we got into a fight and I killed him with a sword." He looked at his son confused, his tired eyes begging to make sense of what was happening. "I don't even own a sword. And if I wanted to kill him I just would have gotten my gun, but they don't believe me."

"Dad they are wrong. You were right, knowledge can be a dangerous thing, but I'm going to make it right. Wilma and an accomplice took Emma."

"Who would want to take Emma, for what reason?"

"Dad I need you to think, did Wilma ever ask you anything about Roy?"

He shook his head trying to concentrate. "I need a drink."

"Dad please, this is important…" Jed closed his eyes trying to remember.

She asked me a few times about my family, but I never told her…" he stopped as the memory about Baxter replayed in his mind.

"I told them about Baxter."

"Them, who is them?"

"Wilma and a tall thin man who was with her." He started tremble, tears brimming his eyes. "Oh God, is that the man I killed?"

"No, you didn't kill anybody." Jake replied. "It's going to be ok, I promise."

Jed put his head on the table and began to weep. Jake put his hand on his shoulder stood there for a moment. "I gotta go Dad." He kissed the top of his head and left.

"Come on." He took Cassandra by the hand and headed for his truck.

"Where do you think you are going now?" Billy snarled at him.

"To get Emma."


	24. Chapter 24

They got in the truck and drove to the door that would bring them back to the annex.

"Are you certain they have Roy?" Cassandra asked.

"I'm sure of it and they should be showing up at the annex to get me and the crystal any time now."

No sooner did he say it when they received a call from Jenkins. "We have visitors Mr. Stone."

"I'm on my way." He said.

"Jake, be careful. If I know Dulaque, he will find a way to keep the power for himself and get rid of you and your family." She took his hand in hers, he leaned over and kissed her.

"That won't happen not if I can help it." He smiled then gave her a somber look. "Promise to look after Emma if anything does."

"Jake…"

"Promise."

"I promise."

Dulaque was waiting for them when they returned to the annex. Three of Lamia's assassins had Col. Baird, Ezekiel and Jenkins with swords pointed at their hearts.

"Ah Mr. Stone, the last member of the family. Now all we need is the crystal, so please get if you would be so kind." Jake went to where he hid it and took it out. He started to throw it to the floor but felt a sword on his back.

"Go ahead and kill me. If you do the power of the crystal dies and so do your hopes of power." He glared at Dulaque.

"Do that and they will all die as well. No my good man. You have to give it to me willingly, and you will." He brought Emma and Roy forward. "I can't kill you or them, but perhaps someone just as close…"

"Don't give it to him Uncle Jake!" Emma shouted. Another of Lamia's men grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth muffling her voice.

Jake held on to the crystal. Lamia, now back in her own body, brought out Susan.

"So Lamia, or is it Wilma? This is your handiwork?" Jake pointed to Susan, half conscious, her face was bruised and her clothes ripped.

"You have no idea how glad I am to be done with your pathetic excuse of a father. And that stupid keeper? I was on to him two days ago." She laughed. "Now hand over that crystal." Jake stood silent and unflinching.

"Still trying to be the hero? That's too bad." Lamia struck Susan with so much force that it knocked her to the floor unconscious. Jake rushed to retaliate, with the strength of the crystal he was able to easily take out two of her men. He stopped as Dulaque stepped in front of him holding a dagger to Cassandra's neck.

"All right, that's enough." He looked around the room at Jake's companions.

"I recall hearing about a chain that has sentimental value for you Mr. Stone. Ms. Harper was kind enough to tell us about it when shall I say you two were in a very intimate position."

Jake glanced at Cassandra. She remained calm not wanting to give anything away, showing no emotion.

"She said you never took it off for anyone so the wearer must be someone special, someone close to your heart. Who could it be?" He flicked his wrist and Cassandra felt the chain floating up and away from her chest. She tried to make it go back down, but the magic that made it move proved stronger than her.

"Cassandra... Bravo, you went from betraying your companions to having one of them fall in love with you. You really should consider working for me, you are quite the vixen." His breath was hot against her neck. "It's always the quiet ones." He tightened his grip on her. "Now where were we? Ah yes, you were about to give me the crystal."

"Don't give it to him Jake." She pleaded.

Jake looked at her, his heart torn between saving her or the world from Dulaque's control. He debated his options, looking around the room for some kind of trick to save her, the others and destroy the crystal.

"I'm growing impatient Mr. Stone." Dulaque pressed the blade into her neck, cutting it enough to draw blood. Cassandra held her breath and closed her eyes, awaiting her fate.

"No!" He conceded and lowered his head. "I don't have a choice, I can't let them hurt you Cassie." He handed the crystal to Dulaque.

"Excellent decision." He pushed Cassandra into Jake's arms, walked over to Roy and gave him the crystal. "Now witness what real power looks like. Let's start small for now shall we Mr. Reinhallt? Dulaque pointed to Jenkins. "Kill him."

Roy walked over to the assassin holding Jenkins. He took his sword and raised it, Jenkins looked at him defiantly, plotting as he waited for him to strike.

He turned and walked toward Jake.

"Mr. Reinhallt, what are you doing? I said to kill him. " Dulaque redirected him back to Jenkins.

Roy ignored him, took another sword, threw it at Jake's feet and circled him. "To the death." He challenged.

"The crystal has turned him into Cadfael. It appears the legend is going to play itself out again." Jenkins whispered to Col. Baird and Ezekiel.

"In the legend the good brother dies, what does that mean for Stone?" Baird asked.

"Roy holds the crystal and all it's power as did Cadfael. In the legend, Brynmore won because his goodness was the greater power, but was killed because of his sister's interference. If it continues to play out then Emma will become like Aerowyn and must not be allowed to interfere in order to give Mr. Stone a chance to reverse Brynmore's fate."

Dulaque called to him again. "Mr. Reinhallt you are under my control, you cannot kill Mr. Stone or the crystal's power will be gone forever."

"Silence!" He pointed the sword at Dulaque. "I know you. You are a traitor to your king, be gone with you or I will run you through." Lamia squared off against him to fight, he picked her up and threw her against the wall. Her assassins rushed toward him and one by one he picked them off.

Dulaque helped Lamia up off the floor. "Looks like we have to go back to our original plan. Let's go."

"You turned me into an ugly spinster, made me live for two weeks in a dung heap for nothing?" Lamia was furious.

"Darling, I'll make it up to you, I promise. Now let's leave these so-called Librarians to their fate."

She called her men and they ran out of the annex, leaving the insane, homicidal Roy behind.

Roy circled Jake again. "Pick up your sword brother and fight. I see the fair Rhosyn is by your side, tonight you shall be mine." He said to Cassandra.

Baird, Jenkins and Ezekiel fanned out around the room. Baird got her gun, aimed and began to shoot, but the crystal protected him from the bullets. Ezekiel tried to distract him to steal the crystal. Roy grabbed him and threw him into a bookshelf. He shielded his head as pile of books started to fall from above.

"It's no use, this has to be played out." Jenkins said. "Miss Cillian hold onto Emma, do not let her go."

"Brynmore no, he has the crystal." Emma cried out as she the spirit of Aerowyn transformed her and Jake was now the good brother, destined for a certain death.

He winked at his sister. "But I have good on my side." The two men began their battle. They drew their swords, Cadfael stood back and parried right, Brynmore blocked it and parried to the opposite side.

Each man took turns thrusting and parrying, neither side showing any weakness. At one point, Cadfael got too close as Brynmore slashed at him cutting his arm.

Cadfael became enraged, jumped back and thrust with all his strength, Brynmore leapt out of the way but fell to the floor, his sword knocked out of his hand. The elder brother laughed as he pointed his sword downward aiming for his heart.

He thrust it down, Brynmore rolled away recovered his sword and jumped to his feet. He caught his brother and pinned his arm, his weapon falling from his hand. Brynmore drew back his sword to run him through.

Aerowyn was squirming in Cassandra's arms, broke free and ran in between her brothers, but this time Brynmore did not stop, instead he ran the blade into his brother's shoulder wounding him.

Cadfael dropped to his knees, Brynmore took the crystal and smashed it. The power that could have changed the fate of the world was gone forever. Jenkins and the others sighed deeply, one less artifact to worry about.

Victorious at last, Aerowyn hugged him, and as she turned to assess Cadfael's wound he picked up his sword to kill his brother but mistakenly thrust it deep into her side.

"NO!" Jake cried out, as the spell was broken. Emma fell into his arms, blood seeping out staining her pink flowered nightgown.

Baird subdued Roy and she and Ezekiel tied him up until they could call the authorities.

"No monkey, you can't leave me." He applied pressure to the wound trying to stem the bleeding. Her face was losing color, her skin felt clammy she looked dazed and confused. "Jenkins get that potion the one that cures wounds, the one Flynn used, it will heal her!" he shouted.

"It's lost with the Library, we don't have any of it here, I'm afraid we have no magic that can heal her." He replied powerless to help.


	25. Chapter 25

"This is all my fault!" Jake cried and rocked her slowly back and forth feeling her life slip away. "Uncle Jake, I love you," Emma whispered and placed her hand on his face. Her smile faded as she closed her eyes and she became limp in his arms. He wept over her body, Baird, Jenkins and Ezekiel knelt next to him to offer comfort but he was inconsolable.

Cassandra stood there in shock unable to move. If only she had held on to Emma better. Uncontrolled tears fell and her body shook with grief. How could life be so unfair? She had long accepted the fact that she would die one day sooner than later, but Emma had her whole life ahead of her. She couldn't take it any more, her head began to ache.

Random squares started to flash before her eyes as her brain took over. "Think Cassandra think. Squares. squares. Honey graham crackers with milk. milk white, silky, light." She babbled, tapping her head and trying to make sense of the picture taking shape in front of her. "What are you trying to tell me?" A map now formed clearly in front of her. "Oh, ok, yes I remember."

She ran to her favorite place in the annex and retrieved the tiny box she had forgotten about and ran back to them. "Maybe this will help." Jake loosened his grip on Emma and looked at her, his eyes reddened, his face puffy from crying. She knelt down next to him. "Please Cassie, please be right." He begged.

A little wisp of magic fell into her hand and she placed it over the wound. The light soon spread though out her body. After a moment, she blinked open her eyes and smiled. "I knew you worked in a special place." She said to Jake. he touched her side, her wound was completely healed. He laughed as he picked her up and danced around with her. "Yes I do." He replied, tears of joy now replacing the tears of sorrow.

"Hi Cassie."

"Hi Emma, nice to see you again." She hugged her while she was still in Jake's arms. He took Cassandra in his arms as well, giving her a kiss on the lips.

Emma giggled. "I told you he liked you Cassie."

"Well you were right. And I like him too."

"Ok, now we better see about getting you home, your mom and dad are very worried." Jake took out his phone and dialed.

"Please Uncle Jake can I stay awhile, I've never been to a magical library before." The room was silent. "Uh sure, but just for a little while." Jake said not sure about how to handle the fact that she knew more than she should.

As Jake introduced the others to Emma, a low groan came from the corner. Susan woke up, but was still in a daze. He glanced at Ezekiel, back at Emma and pointed with his head to another room. Ezekiel nodded.

"Hey there little sprog why don't you come with me? I want to show you some of my favorites things about the annex." Ezekiel held out his hand and she giggled as they ran off to explore.

"So what are we going to do about her?" Baird asked as she went over to help her up.

"Huh…" Jenkins looked perplexed, rubbing his chin, thinking.

Jake helped Susan into a chair. "Hang on darlin' you're going to be all right." She looked around, terrified. Recognizing Jake, she clung on to him and started crying.

"You're safe now, nobody's gonna hurt you. Shh…" He held her close and smoothed her hair. His low, gentle voice calmed her down and she was able to relax. Cassandra felt sorry for her and offered to get her a drink of water.

"Yes of course, water." Jenkins blurted out and walked off into the shelves. They were getting used to his idiosyncrasies and didn't question his latest rambling.

"I don't know what happened, one minute I was talking to you, the next I was being pushed into a car and they took me this warehouse. Tania came out and started slapping me accusing me of trying to steal Harrison from her, but she kept calling him by that weird name you used." She sniffled and took a good look around.

"Where am I?

"You're in the Library, this is where I work, and these are my colleagues. You already know Cassandra." Jake replied then introduced her to Col. Baird and Jenkins who came back with a bottle of water.

"How do you do?" Jenkins greeted her with a big smile, quite attracted to the still beautiful blonde underneath the scrapes and bruises.

She tried to get up but her body ached from the blows Lamia inflicted on her. She caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror and gasped.

"Oh my God, what happened to my face?" she shrieked.

"I have just the thing for that" Jenkins replied. He opened the bottle of water dampened a cloth with it and placed it over her forehead. She stared off as if in a trance.

"What kind of water is that?" Col. Baird asked.

"It's water from the Sea of Lost Memories. We have to give her new ones. We can't risk letting her remember being here and we can erase any memory she has about working for Dulaque or Lamia."

"But what if he tries to attack her again?" Baird asked.

"He won't, she is no longer of any use to him and he has something else up his sleeve I'm sure of it. You know," he thought out loud, "I have a friend who could use some home remodeling. I'll give him a call and set it up. He is a very wealthy and somewhat young widower in his early 50's. I think Ms. Harper will like Hawaii." He led her to the back room.

"Wait, I want to say goodbye to her." Jake said.

He faced her and took her hands in his. "I'm so sorry you got dragged into this. I want to wish you a happy life Suzie, you really deserve it. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and left her to Jenkins. She was still in the trance but she smiled as the happy memory of his wish buried itself in her mind.

Jenkins took her to the back and reset her memory, which also took away her bruises since all memory of Dulaque and Lamia were erased. He set the door for Maui and called ahead for a car to take her to his friend on the island. "Shall we Ms. Harper?" He took her arm and escorted her to the door. "I'll be back in twenty minutes."

Once they were gone, Col. Baird and Jake turned their attention to the other stranger among them, his uncle Roy. "I need to have a talk with him as he approached the man, tied up and sitting on the floor, taking in everything in the room.


	26. Chapter 26

Jake sat on a chair across him and stared at him for a long time. Roy flashed a malicious grin as if trying to read his thoughts.

"Don't get too close to him Stone." Col. Baird warned, her gun ready in case he tried anything foolish.

"My father spent his life telling me that intelligence was a curse, that it wasn't to be celebrated but feared. What did you do to him?" Jake asked.

"Ah so you are Jed's son. I can see the resemblance. A lot like me I'd say." He observed. "What didn't I do would be the better question." His voice was cold and calm; he seemed to relish the thought of having a new audience. At the prison, Dr. Oliver had already heard all his stories and wouldn't allow him to relive them although he always tried.

"Jake maybe some things are better left in the past." Cassandra put her hand on his shoulder trying to protect him from his uncle's rhetoric.

"No, I need to hear this."

"Very well." He straightened up. "May I sit on a chair? This floor is awfully cold."

"No you may not, stay down." Baird answered her gun still pointed at him.

Roy was unfazed. He had the spotlight and was not going to disappoint. He would give them every gory detail.

"It's easy when you know a man's weaknesses, his fears, his passions. You can exploit it, twist it, make someone beg for you to make it go away or give you more. I love history Jake, especially the great ancient warriors like Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Napoleon. They were cunning ruthless and unafraid to take action. I wanted to be just like them, so I studied their tactics, the way they manipulated people and I practiced.

"Take my father. He was a cold heartless man who beat our mother and us on a regular basis. He couldn't resist beating us for any reason. One day I made him so mad, he chased me around the house. I suppose if he wasn't so blind with rage he would have seen the stool at the top of the basement steps and not tripped over it, fallen down and broken his neck." He laughed with great pleasure. Cassandra looked away in disgust.

"The day they told my mother about my IQ she was ecstatic, I was going to be her golden ticket out of our little town of Bumblebee, Texas. You could see the dollar signs in her eyes. She had such plans for me bragging to everyone she knew about her son the genius. She worked three jobs to pay for tutors, music lessons, art classes, anything I wanted, she was only too happy to give it to me. When my sister or brother complained about my little pranks or jokes, she would just tell them they needed to understand me better, I was on a different level than they were."

"What kind of jokes and pranks are we talking about here?" Jake asked not believing the innocent way he portrayed them.

"Our older sister Lucy always thought she was so smart and Jed always took her side. She was afraid of the dark so I would make strange noises in the night to scare her, but she ignored them when she realized it was only me. I figured out a way to really scare her. I made a rig to float heads of animals whose heads I cut off and dangled them in front of her while she was sleeping. When they touched her face she would wake up and scream, running to my mother. You should have seen the look on her face, priceless. I got her every time." He chuckled.

"My twin brother Jed was the best. I loved joking with him. He hated frogs, so would get as many as I could and throw them at him or put some in his bed. Sometimes whole frogs, sometimes parts of them. One time I cut one up and put it in his stew and I tried to stop myself from laughing as he ate a piece. He spent the rest of the night in the bathroom throwing up."

He had tears in his eyes from laughing so hard and stopped to wipe them before continuing.

"That's enough Roy." Baird warned him.

"Oh, but there's more. You wanted to hear it, now you are going to hear it." His voice became louder, more menacing. "When Momma sent me to that special special school, it opened all kinds of doors for me. I learned even more ways to surprise and delight my siblings. I couldn't wait to go home on weekends to show them.

"So your terrorizing them was your way of showing them what, that you loved them? You are one sick freak." Jake turned away from his uncle.

"I wanted them to appreciate my intelligence. No one except Momma did but she sent me away, said it was for my own good. I needed to be with people more like me. The family I was staying with didn't appreciate me and planned to send me away too, but I beat them to it I decided to give them a goodbye send off and lit the house on fire when they were sleeping. Their stupid dog always hated me so I gave him a good bye of his own.

Jake had heard enough and walked away. Roy stopped laughing and tried to get up. "Wait, I'm just getting to the good parts."

"I said that's enough, stay down." Col. Baird ordered him. He lunged at her, she hit him with the back of her gun. Blood spilled from his nose and lip and he licked it away with pleasure.

"My own family testified against me, which I could have forgiven as ignorance but they sent me away to that prison and never came to see me. Thirty years and not one of them cared. How do you not even come to see family?"

"Can you blame them?" Cassandra asked in disbelief.

"The only one who ever came to visit was Thomas."

"Thomas? Jake turned with new interest.

"He came once a year to make sure I was still there. He didn't seem to like me much, but at least he came. I rather liked his visits. Didn't say much just that he was glad I was locked away. I haven't seen him in about a year or so, I suppose he'll come around soon enough to make sure I'm still locked up."

"No he won't, Thomas is dead, trying to protect us and even you." Jake informed him.

"Oh well, I guess that's life." He said without emotion. "Hey Jake when you see your dad again ask him about the time he broke his leg." He giggled at the memory, Jake ran back and with a furious punch knocked him out cold.

The door opened and Jenkins was back wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sipping from a coconut.

Baird gave him a curious look. "What? It's been a heck of an evening. I deserve this." He took a long sip.

The mood was quite serious now as Jenkins observed the group. "What happened in the time I was gone, please don't tell me something has happened to Emma."

"No, she's fine, she's with Ezekiel learning God knows what." Jake said. "We need to get rid of this human piece of garbage." He pointed to his unconscious uncle.

"Ah yes, psychopaths aren't your usual run of the mill criminals, they can be quite charming and social and then just as cold and calculating. They are usually very bright and in your uncle's case a genius. I gather he did some nasty things."

"That's putting it mildly." Jake raked his hands through his hair pacing back and forth.

"So how do we get him back to where he belongs?" Col. Baird asked.

"Uh huh. I have the very thing for that." Jenkins went to the work room and came back with a key. "I am quite sure Dulaque used a key similar to this to put an impostor in and take Roy out, use this key to do the reverse." He handed it to Col. Baird.

"Don't tell me, another artifact from another obscure legend or fairy tale."

"Remind me to tell it to you sometime." Jenkins quipped. "Now just hold it in front of you and you will be able to get in undetected and switch out the two." Roy was waking up, Jenkins quickly pressed a cloth from the water bottle over his forehead to erase his memory about the Library and his breakout.

"We really don't want him to remember this place." Jenkins stressed as a cold shiver ran up his spine.

"What about his wound?" Baird asked. "How do we explain that?"

Cassandra looked at it. "It doesn't look too bad, I'll get a first aid kit and clean it up before you take him."

"All right, here goes." She called Ezekiel and the two were off with their prisoner once he was ready.

"Whoa…that is so awesome." Emma remarked as she saw how the door worked.

She followed Jenkins back to the work room where she proceeded to ask him all kinds of questions about the objects in the annex.

"Are you going to be ok?" Cassandra looked at the angry expression on Jake's face.

"I'll be fine. It really explains a lot, my dad was scared of him and I guess the fact that I look a lot like him didn't help. God he must have thought I was a reincarnated version of him come back to terrorize him again."

They heard Emma's high pitched giggle in the back room. "Oh man she is going to get on Jenkins' nerves, let me go get her." He took Cassandra's hand as they walked back together.

"So, where did you get that magic?" Jake stopped and asked her.

"When we were in Bremen. It was a bit of Merlin's magic thanks to Jamie."

"It cured Emma, why didn't you try it on yourself? It might have cured you."

"I thought about it, but the tumor helps me see things, feel things, that just knowing about science and doing math alone can't help. For better or worse I need it to be of use to the Library, and who knows, maybe I'll find another artifact to cure me when the time is right."

He took her in his arms and kissed her. "Well we are going to search for it together, that's a promise."


	27. Chapter 27

"Oy, enough with the mushy stuff." Ezekiel joked as he and Col. Baird came back with Roy in handcuffs. Before anyone could protest Baird explained.

"This is the impostor. Dulaque changed his appearance to look like Roy. When he changes back we'll find out who he really is." She pushed him in the broom closet and locked the door.

They followed Jake and Cassandra to the workroom to retrieve Emma from the cantankerous caretaker, surprised by what they saw.

Emma was all smiles as Jenkins was regaling her with a tale. "And this is a golden egg from the goose in Jack and the Beanstalk. I haven't figured out its magical ability yet, it's probably just gold, which is still worth quite a bit even without magic." He said while wagging his finger at the egg.

She giggled with delight. "You're funny Mr. Jenkins, I like you," and kissed his cheek. They gathered around as Jenkins told them stories about some of the contraptions he'd worked on over the years.

A loud thud interrupted their brief moment of peace. It came from the broom closet and Baird came out to investigate. "Trying to escape?" she grabbed the man and yanked his head up to see his face. "Well, well, well. Paolo Montalvo, noted terrorist, thief, smuggler. NATO has been looking for you for quite awhile." she smirked as she made a call.

She and Ezekiel excused themselves, took him out the front door and drove him to a rendezvous spot to hand him over to the new leader of her old counter intelligence team.

"Emma I hear you like to read, why don't you check out some of our books in the card catalogue while I speak with your uncle." Jenkins nodded to Cassandra. She extended her hand and led the girl out. He waited until they left to speak.

"You know we have to erase her memory, it's too dangerous for her to know the secrets she has seen and heard about." There was a twinge of sadness in his voice.

"Can't we let her keep these happier memories?" Jake pleaded.

"The less she knows the better. You'll need the water when you take her back. Give the water to anyone who knows about us. A couple of drops in any beverage will give you about a minute or less to wipe out any memory of recent events that could be traced back to the Library." He went back to his research, Jake could tell by his cheerless expression that Jenkins was not only going to miss his new friend, but worse, she would not remember him. He left to find Emma.

"Uncle Jake this is the best place in the world, I want to come back here again." She skipped around the main room, opening the drawers in the card catalogue and reading the titles of the books of the ones she pulled out. "Ooh, _Care and Feeding of_ _Unicorns _by _R. Hagrid_. I want to read that one." She skipped up the steps, found it in the stacks and sat in Jake's favorite spot to read it.

"Billy and Amy are waiting for her." Cassandra reminded him.

"I'll call them and see if it's all right to keep her awhile longer." He said. Cassandra frowned. He explained. "It's just that, I almost lost her and I want to spend as much time as I can with her before… before this all becomes forgotten." He went upstairs and sat next to her, held her close, smiling as she read from the book to him.

After an hour, Cassandra went upstairs with the bottle of water and a cloth. He looked up and reluctantly took it from her. "Hey monkey, you got a little scrape on your forehead, let me clean it up so your mom won't be worried when I take you home."

"Ok." He placed the cloth on her forehead and began to reset her memory.

"You're going to be very sleepy now and when you wake up in the morning, you'll only remember the Library as a wonderful place in a dream filled with lovely books and art and it'll be our secret. You won't remember being taken, uncle Roy, your injury, magic, or anyone that works at the Library…including me." He choked as he said that. "I'll just be regular Uncle Jake and Cassie is my friend who came to visit at Christmas." Maybe one day when she was older he could tell her the truth. Jake concluded the reset, and took the cloth away from her.

Emma closed the book, rubbed her eyes and yawned falling into a deep sleep. Jake carried her downstairs and Jenkins got the door ready. "It was nice to hear a child's laughter, it gave this place a sense of lightness." He sighed as he looked down on her innocent face. He gave Emma a kiss on her forehead and walked quickly back to the workroom.

"She's a very courageous little girl." Col. Baird remarked with admiration.

"Bye little sprog," Ezekiel waved as Jake and Cassandra walked through the door.

It was nearly 3 a.m. when Jake knocked on his brother's door with Emma sound asleep in his arms. Billy and Amy were overjoyed to have her back thanking them over and over. Jake took her to her room and tucked her in her bed. He made sure the boys were sound asleep before he went downstairs.

Billy and Amy had a list of questions ready for him when he came down. Libby was there as well waiting for answers. Cassandra went to make coffee for them while they talked.

"So you're saying that Wilma was really an assassin named Lamia in disguise trying to get Emma because she, a long lost uncle Roy and you were part of a prophecy that held the power to control the world? Billy tried to wrap his head around that one, Amy was next to him her rubbing her arms a cold chill coming over her.

"That's what I'm saying, and it's our job, Cassandra, myself and the others back at the library work to keep this kind of magic out of the wrong hands."

Cassandra came back with the coffee and poured Libby, Billy and Amy a cup. Jake waited a moment for the water to take effect then quickly reset their memories so that none of the evening's occurrences had ever happened. It was just another quiet night at their home. They put everything back as it was and they helped them back to bed.

"Where to now?" Cassandra asked as they got in the truck.

"To the jail, gotta take care of my dad."

Dawn was breaking as they parked in front of the station house. Jake stared at the door.

"Come on let's get your dad." Cassandra opened the door then closed it when he didn't move. "What's wrong?"

"I think we're about to commit a crime."

"I know, it's kind of cool, we're like Bonnie and Clyde." She was giddy with excitement.

"Well, maybe in another life I could have done this but it feels wrong Cassie, we are talking about a cop, evidence tampering."

"Jake you can't let your dad take the blame for killing Thomas and once we set this all straight we'll make sure to bring Lamia to justice some way."

"All right, but let's get our story straight, we have to reset his memory, change the police report, get my dad out all in a few minutes." He breathed deeply and opened the door. "Ok let's go."

**Extra points if you can guess the TV show and moved I have hinted at...**


	28. Chapter 28

Jake stood at the desk waiting for the desk Sergeant to finish his phone call. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. He opened them, startled by a warm sensation on his cheek.

"For luck." Cassandra whispered. He smiled as he gave her a quick kiss in return.

"Jake why are you back here at this hour?" He asked.

"I got your call Sgt. Taylor, I'm here to bail my dad out." Jake said to the night officer looking him squarely in his eyes, his stance tall and determined.

"What are you talking about? I didn't call and you know your father is locked up for suspicion of murder."

"Coffee?" Cassandra pushed the steaming styrofoam cup in his hand. "Oh, I almost forgot. I got you a Danish too." His mouth watered at the sight of the flaky, golden brown pastry with apples in the center and a shiny sweet glaze drizzled on top.

"Apple, my favorite. Thank you little lady, I could use this right about now." He took the danish from her and took a bite. "Now I don't know where you got your information from but your father is not eligible for bail." He took a sip from the cup and froze.

"Cassie we gotta work fast. You change the paperwork and I'll reset his memory." She sat at the desk and used the tricks Ezekiel taught her to hack into the computer altering the report to state that Wilma Farber was wanted for the murder of Thomas Wynn. An all points bulletin was issued for her arrest.

"Are you almost done? He's coming out of the spell." Jake hurried.

"Just a second…" she pressed the return key. "Done." She smiled triumphantly.

Sgt. Taylor shook his head and blinked. "Ok, so you are here for your father. Wait here and I'll get him."

He brought out a very perplexed Jed to his son. Jake motioned for him not to speak and he complied. "All right Jake if you will just sign here and here giving you the responsibility for getting him home safe then you are free to go."

Jake grabbed his father's arm and led him quickly to the door.

"Wait!" Sgt. Taylor yelled. They squeezed their eyes shut waiting to be caught. I knew this was a bad idea Jake thought as his body trembled with dread. They turned around.

"I don't want to see you in my drunk tank again Jed. Next time, I won't be so lenient. Now get him out of here." The policeman admonished.

"You want to tell me what is going on?" He asked as they sped away.

"Dad I'll explain everything once I get you home."

The house was a mess, shattered glass everywhere, chairs and books knocked over, a broken lamp on the floor, evidence of the fierce battle that had been fought to protect the fate of the world from certain ruin. The door to the bedroom had yellow barricade tape across it and the now dried pool of blood where Thomas laid dying was a sad memorial to a brave and fearless man.

Jake ripped the tape and surveyed the room, anger now taking hold of him for the death of his friend and protector. He had just met him and now he would never get a chance know more about him or his family's history.

Jed walked out of the den with a half bottle of whiskey in his hand, taking a big swig as he looked around. He slumped to the sofa. Cassandra shrugged her shoulders at Jake; she wasn't quick enough to put the drops in his drink.

"I don't understand how I could have killed that man, I didn't even know him and Wilma, poor Wilma."

Jake went over to him and took the bottle out of his hand gave it to his partner in crime. "Dad, listen to me. I saw Roy, he was here."

"You what? But that's impossible, he is locked away in a maximum security prison."

"Dad, Wilma was part of a secret society that wants to bring magic back into the world to control it. They broke him out of prison, kidnapped Emma and tried to use the three of us to do it. She is an assassin and she most likely came to kill you when she met up with Thomas who was keeping an eye on her for me. I knew something was not right when I first met her. She is the one who killed Thomas not you."

"What are you talking about?" He looked at his son and his eyes widened with fear. "I told you, being too smart only makes you crazy, you are just as nuts as him and you're going to finish me right?" He put his arms up to his face to cover himself and cowered away from him.

"Dad, it's going to be all right, we were able to destroy the magic and get him locked back up. He won't bother anyone again." He struggled with his father's arms to put them down and sit him upright.

"I know what you went through living with that monster you called your brother. He told me enough to know the hell you and Aunt Lucille must have endured."

Jed crumpled in his son's arms. "I told the police and the lawyers everything he did to me and Lucy when they came to our house to tell us what he did. Momma was horrified by what she heard, she never realized how much he had hurt and tortured us. She felt guilty and asked us to forgive her and told us that she was going to make it right. Your grandpa William gave us a better life and we learned to put it behind us."

"Until I came along." Jake said.

"I knew you weren't like him, but you looked so much like him it was scary and when your momma told me about your IQ score, it brought back all those terrible memories." Jed looked at his son. "You never did anything wrong, you were so good to your momma and your sister and brothers. I was a fool. I am so sorry Jake, can you ever forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive." He handed him back his bottle and Jed took a long swallow.

"Cassie I want to change everything, I don't want him to remember anything about Roy or his childhood."

"Jake you can't, you only have a few minutes or less, it's too much to make him forget." She reasoned. "Maybe you can change his attitude, instead give him the sense that he overcame and is a better man for it."

"All right." Jake's southern lilt lulled his father to sleep as he reset his memory about the recent events especially his involvement with Wilma. He couldn't totally erase his memory of her but instead made so that Jed found out she was a grifter and ended the relationship before she could cause any harm to him or the family.

Before he finished he quickly added a bit more. "Dad listen to me. What you went through with Roy was horrible, but you are a survivor, you didn't let that keep you down. You're going to forgive yourself for mom's death and not being there for us. From now on you are going to be a better man, stop drinking so much and take care of yourself and your family. Emma is going to be a source of pride for you, being smart is a good thing now." He finished the reset.

Cassandra put her hand on his shoulder. "Well done." He put his hand over hers as they watched over him.

The room magically changed back to what is was before Lamia killed Thomas. Gone was the barricade tape and the blood on the bedroom floor. The chairs were back in their place and the lamp repaired and on the table.

"Wow, that was so cool." Cassandra commented as they witnessed the transformation. Jake got a blanket and put it over his father then turned to her. "He'll be all right now." He took her by the hand, they left and closed the door.

They got back in the truck and drove to the door that served as their entrance to the annex. Before they walked in, he took her in his arms and gave her a long embrace.

"I could not have done this without you. Thank you."

"Well what are friends for?" She smiled.

"Oh I think we are more than just friends." His eyes had that crinkly look again and she felt a sudden wave of love as he kissed her, for a second she felt her heart would stop as his touch filled her with excitement and joy. "I love you Cassie." He whispered in her ear.

"I love you too." She murmured. For once her brain was not calculating probabilities or possibilities, it allowed her to enjoy the moment as she combed her fingers through his untamed hair, pulling him closer to her, returning his kiss with a deepening passion she never felt before.

"Come on." She could feel the resonance of his low husky voice as he held her and it filled her very soul with a feeling of warmth and security and there was no better place to be than in his arms. "There's a little cafe in Cape Cod I read about that serves the best breakfast all day long, I've been dying to try it out. If we hurry we can beat the lunch crowd."

"Oh yummy," she clapped as they headed inside, ready for their next adventure.

**The end**. **I hope you liked it. Fingers crossed for season two…**


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